Not All Treasure's Silver And Gold Jack Sparrow
by Morningglory5510
Summary: Sam Mason lived a normal happy life with her parents and older sisters. One night a man comes to their home and kills her parents, taking everything. Jack Sparrow enters her life years later will she let him in or will he be just another pirate? Plz read!


**Not All Treasure's Silver And Gold**

I ran through the yard with my older sisters chasing after me. We were trying to pass the time before our father would return home once again. Emma grabbed the back of my dress and pulled me to the ground."Got you again, little sister," she laughed.I rolled my eyes and pushed her off me as I walked to the front of the house. A carriage was pulling into the long driveway and my father slowly stepped out of it. I smiled widely at him as I ran to give him a hug. He picked me up off the ground and spun me around before putting me down and hugging the rest of my seven sisters. I was the youngest of the bunch, only ten years old, and I was my father's favorite.

We all went into the house to let my father get settled and before long we were all sitting in front of the fireplace listening to him tell one of his stories.

"I was cornered and had nothing but my bare hands to help me," he continued. "I calculated my chances of getting away if I could make a hole in them and found it was just crazy enough of a plan to work. Just as they were about to lung at me I grabbed one of the men and shoved him in front of me, taking his place in the circle."

My sisters and I gasped when he paused.

"What happened?" I asked him, eyes wide.

"Well," he said looking down at me. "I grabbed another man's sword right off him and stuck him in the back. Now I had a weapon and they were two men short. So I began making my way backwards toward the row boats. The men tried to back me away from them because they realized my plan, but I wouldn't budge. Just as it looked like they would get me far enough away from the boats I took my chance and jumped into the closest one. My weight slammed it down and it went plunging toward the waters. I sailed away from the ship as they tried to throw their swords at me, but I just laughed and waved to them from my stolen ship shouting words of thanks."

Me and my sisters laughed, my father always made the end of the story funnier than it was supposed to be.

"Alright girls, time for bed," my mother said getting up from her chair.

We groaned but did as we were told, getting up and making our way to our rooms. I shared my room with three of my sisters, Rosie, Maybelle, and Lilly. Two more of my sisters shared another room, Julie and Isabelle. The last two shared another room, Gracie and Emma. Emma was oldest, then came Gracie, followed by Isabelle, Julie, Lilly, Maybelle, Rosie, and myself Sam or Sammi. Out of all of us there wasn't one boy, but if you had to pick the girl who was the most tom-boy it would be me. I took after my father, strong, quick-witted, and I didn't back down from a challenge.

The four of us changed into our nightgowns and climbed into our beds. Not long after my father and mother came into the room to say goodnight and then we were left to sleep. My eyes drooped and before long I was fast asleep.

I woke to the sound of someone pleading. It was soft, so soft I could barely hear it, but I did. Silently, so as not to wake my sisters, I crawled out of bed and headed in the direction of the voice.

"Where is the treasure!" a voice shouted.

The voice was coming from my parents room and as I reached the door I peeked in through the opening. A man with long scraggy black hair stood with a gun pressed to my father's head and a boy about two years older than me stood with a dagger held to my mother's throat.

"I don't have any treasure! Not the treasure you're looking for!" my father yelled.

The man with the gun cocked it and pressed it harder to my father's head. "Do ye want ta rethink that?" he asked.

"I don't have your treasure!" my father pleaded.

The man nodded to the boy and the boy slit my mother's throat. I screamed as I watched blood spill from her neck and her body fell to the floor. I didn't have any time to run because the door was thrown open and I was being pulled into the room with my father.

The boy held his dagger to my throat like he had with my mother and I felt her blood against my skin, still warm and dripping down my own neck.

"Please, not her," my father begged. "Please, I'll do anything just not Sammi!"The man looked at my father coldly. "Where is the treasure?" he asked again, his accented voice making him sound even more threatening. "Last chance, Charles," he warned.

"I don't have your treasure!" my father cried out.

Without another word the man pulled the trigger of the gun and my father was dead.

Again I screamed, seeing the blood and brains splattered against the wall of my parent's bedroom. But I didn't cry, I would not cry in front of the monsters who had done this. I would not give them the satisfaction.

The man turned his eyes to me then. "Where is the treasure?" he asked me.

After seeing him kill my mother and father I wasn't about to risk my life or the life of my sisters.

"Follow me," I whispered. Secretly I was glad I was the one who had woken and not one of the other girls. My father hadn't told anyone but me where he kept his treasure and I was the only one with a key to it.

The man gave a short nod to the boy and he let go of me, pushing me in front of them.

"If ye try anythin' I will not hesitate ta pull this trigger and send ye along yer way with yer bloody parents," the man said from behind me.

"Yes sir," was all I could manage before walking along the hallway to my room.

The man and the boy looked around the room at my sleeping sisters and then to me.

"Please keep quiet, they don't need to know about this yet," I said to them quietly.

Assured I wasn't about to wake my sisters, they nodded for me to go on.

I opened the door to my closet and pushed past the clothes. What was supposed to be a wall was actually a door and I slowly walked to it, taking my necklace and putting it into the heart-shaped key hole. With a click the door opened and I moved for the men to come in after me. We walked down hill from there and soon we were underground.

"Where are you taking us?" the man asked.

"To the treasure of course," I said. "It couldn't be kept in the house, someone could find it."

We walked in silence until we came to a dead end.

"If this was a trick," the man snarled, cocking his gun.

Quickly I put my hand against the ceiling and knocked once. The sound was not what you would expect, it was hollow. I pulled up my necklace once more and unlocked the trapdoor. It swung up into another secret room.

Inside, I went to one of the many vaults and tried the combination. It clicked open but there wasn't any money in it. The man snarled. I hopped back up and pulled up the blankets to the bed in the room. I moved onto the bed and opened another trapdoor, reaching around inside for a key. My hand finally found it and I jumped back down to the floor.

Turning the key into the secret chamber's lock, I heard the satisfying click and I pulled the box under the bed toward me. My eyes landed on the treasure that laid within it, but before I could do anything I was yanked up by my hair.

"Jack, take what ye can and let's go," the man spoke.

The boy, Jack (yes, this is Jack Sparrow, he had to be a kid sometime), bent and began pulling out the gold and silver cups, rings, and jewelry. When he could carry no more the man let me go.

"Put everythin' back the way it's suppose' ta be," he said.

I nodded and bent down, pushing the chamber closed and locking it. Then I put the key back into the room in the ceiling. We walked back toward the house as I closed the doors and locked them back up, leaving everything the way it was supposed to be.

Finally we were back in my room.

"Get into bed," the man told me.I did as he said, covering up in my blankets.

"Now, don't ye move or make a sound 'itl ye hear a cannon fire from me ship. If ye do I'll know," he said.

I nodded and he turned on his heel and left me in my bed with the dead bodies of my parents in the next room. I contemplated getting up and doing something, but what was I going to do?

The next moment I knew I had made the right decision by staying in bed because the boy came back into my room. He looked at me for a moment more before turning and leaving.

If I wanted to get up and leave now was certainly the time, the boy had come and gone and they wouldn't likely be coming back after that. But I didn't move, I didn't think. I had witnessed my father and my mother die and if any of my sisters found I knew before they did I would surely be suspect to their deaths.

The next morning I rose with my sisters and went about my morning chores, waiting for someone to find the bodies. I knew exactly when one of them found our parents. A blood curdling scream echoed through the large house and me and the others went racing to see what was wrong.

The scene I saw before my eyes was gruesome and though it was not nearly as bad as seeing the murder itself, it brought back the memories of the night before and I was hit with a wave of grief. I knew this was coming, but I hadn't expected it to hurt this much. I didn't have to act when I fell to my knees with a sob in my throat and I realized I would never see them again.

From that point on we were orphan kids, alone in the world with nothing but each other. Though we were girls, we had to wear pants and shirts instead of dressed and we were looked down upon everywhere we went. We moved from place to place trying to find a decent spot that held all of us and kept us sheltered from the elements. Each of us took shifts in the streets begging and stealing food so that the others could rest and guard what little we did posses. I was 13 when another misfortune hit our family.

I came back from yet another day of pleading with strangers for money and I was dying to just sit down. When I got to our newest 'home' I found all of my sisters huddled in a circle. In the middle of that circle laid Julie, my loving, strong sister. She moaned in pain and clutched her stomach.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Emma turned to me with a sad expression on her face. "Julie's come down with something," she said. "She's been sick for a while and we don't know what it is."

I looked back to Julie, who was turning over to throw up the remaining contents of her stomach.

"Can't we get a doctor or someone to look at her?" I asked. "We have to have some money lying around."

My sisters just looked at me sadly.

"Sammi," Gracie began. "Even if we had enough money to get Julie a doctor, we wouldn't be able to convince him to come here to help us. After all, what doctor in his right mind would help an orphan girl in her home that is nothing more than a makeshift hole in the ground. The doctor would wonder about how we got the money for Julie and that would lead to questions that we don't have answers to."

My heart sank with each word Gracie spoke, but I refused to give up. "We have to do something for her!" I cried.

But my sisters had made up their minds, they knew there was nothing more they could do.

I didn't speak a word to any of them that night, just moving to start the fire for them and eat a few pieces for stolen bread. I was beyond angry, I did everything for them and they wouldn't even listen to me. I was the only one who knew how to start a fire, I was the one who could pick-pocket and steal food for us. None of them could do any of that, but they refused to even think about what I had to say.

Rosie sat next to me and for a moment neither of us spoke. "Sammi, I would do anything in the world to help Julie. You know I would, but there's nothing we can do. If we try to get a doctor in here we'll be reported and hung. There wouldn't be a chance for any of us. We just have to wait and hope Julie makes it through."

I glared at my sister and didn't speak. Did she honestly believe she would do anything for her sister if she wouldn't even risk the noose? I would die a thousand times over for my sisters.

Rosie sighed and left me to glower in my corner. A few seconds later I could hear them whispering to each other. No one bothered me for the rest of the night and I refused to talk to the people who were watching their own sister die.

The next few days were gruesome. I worked extra hard to get Julie clean food and water and I brought home more money than ever before. But nothing I did helped her. She laid in her corner, only moving to relieve herself or throw up the food that we forced down her. Soon she could only drink water and before long she couldn't do even that.

I was sitting next to Julie when she started shivering. I quickly got my blanket and pushed it onto her, finding that she was not only shivering but sweating at the same time. She looked to me with weary, bloodshot eyes.

"Sammi," she moaned, her voice hoarse and cracking.

"What do you need?" I asked her, almost pleading with her to give me a way to help her.

Julie coughed for a moment and then began talking again. "Thank you, for everything." With that she closed her eyes and was gone.

For a moment I thought she had fallen asleep, but when she didn't move I began to scream. My sisters rushed to my side, finding Julie was dead.

I clung to Maybelle, sobbing with her about the death of our beloved older sister.

After a day of mourning we had to move Julie's body out of the place where we slept. She was beginning to attract maggots and other animals and we couldn't have that where we ate and slept. Myself and Isabelle were chosen to move the body out to the water. The rest of the girls would follow behind and say their goodbyes as the body went into the sea.

Isabelle and I grabbed either side of the blanket we had wrapped the body in and lifted it. The dead weight was tough to carry, but we managed it and soon we were standing at the water's edge. We pushed the bundle into the water and watched as it sunk and left only ripples behind.

After about an hour the other girls started walking back, but stopped when they realized I wasn't following.

"Come on, Sammi. We have to get back before dark," Lilly said, putting her arm around my shoulders.

I fixed a death glare on her before speaking. "Don't ever call me Sammi. You don't deserve to call me that," I spat at her.

Her eyes filled with sadness at my words, but I shrugged her arm off of me and stomped back to our hole.

When we got back Emma stretched out in her and Julie's old space to sleep.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Emma looked up at me confused. "I'm going to sleep," she said.

"That's Julie's spot," I stated as if she didn't know.

My sister sighed. "Sammi, Julie isn't here anymore. There's nothing we can do about that and we can't leave that space open forever."

"I said don't call me Sammi! My name is Sam. And you can't sleep in Julie's spot, she died there it's her spot!" I screamed.

"Sam there's nothing we can do about Julie's death, we just have to keep going," Emma spoke softly.

I jumped up and grabbed my oldest sister's shoulders, shaking her in my fury. "That's Julie's spot! Do you have no respect for the dead? Do you not care that your own baby sister died there?" I cried.

Emma grabbed my wrists now, rage filling her eyes. I knew I had struck a nerve. "Samantha Elizabeth Mason, you will not talk to me like that!" she thundered. "I am the oldest and therefore in charge! I am doing what is best for all of us and I need to take into consideration what the living needs, not the dead!"

I glared up at my sister. "You didn't care about her," I spat. "You just care for yourself and how much more you can take!"

Emma slapped my face and shoved me into the ground. "Go away Sam. Just go away or I'm going to hurt you," she hissed at me while sitting down.

"Fine!" I yelled. Without another word I turned and left the 'house' fuming about our fight. "How dare she say she cares about any of us. She only wants things to herself. She's always been a selfish little brat, I should have known better, taken things into my own hands," I ranted to myself.

I kicked a garbage can that stood in my way and continued down the road. I stopped, seeing a crowd of men gathered around two boys fighting.

The bigger one had the advantage of being, obviously, bigger but his weight slowed him down making him not the best fighter. The other boy was scrawny, but quick and he could take a punch. After a few minutes the smaller boy was thrown to the ground and a man came into the circle.

"The winner!" he said gesturing to the bigger boy.

The crowd cheered and money was handed to the boy.

"Any more takers?" the man called. "Any one? A chance to win ten shillings or more!"

I walked into the crowd, waiting to see who would go out next, but no one seemed to want to fight the boy.

Without thinking I called back, "I'll fight him!"

The men turned to look at the person who had accepted the offer and began to laugh when they saw it was me who had called out.

I glared. "I want to fight him," I said.

The man who had been calling for another opponent chuckled and looked me up and down. "How old are ya, lass?" he asked

"Thirteen," I stated.

His eyebrows raised. "Are ya saying now that ya want ta fight this sixteen year old boy?" he asked me.

I nodded. "That's what I'm saying."

"Aright. Come on we don't have all day, get up here."

I quickly made my way through the crowd to the center of the circle."Silas, you can't let a girl fight," a man called from the crowd.

'Silas', the one who had let me fight looked over at the man. "I can do wha' I please with me fights an' I want ta let the lass fight. She's old 'nough to think for 'erself by now anyway."

The man from the crowd muttered about letting a girl fight, but didn't otherwise say another word in protest.

"You're going down," the boy said.

I laughed out loud. "Obviously you've never seen me fight," I told him.

We stared each other down for a moment more before a whistle blew, and then we were fighting.

The boy threw the first punch, going for my head but I ducked down and grabbed his legs out from under him. He fell back onto his butt and I jumped up quickly maneuvering out of reach of his hands. He struggled to get up for a moment and then he was back on his feet. He faked a punch to the right and as I moved out of the way of his oncoming hand he hit me from the other side. I fell to the ground but quickly recovered, jumping to my feet and getting him in the gut. His hands went for my face and he grabbed my hair, making me scream. I took the opportunity to punch his face and he let go of my hair.

We both fought for what seemed like a hours but in reality was maybe ten minutes and both of us were breathing hard. His face was bloody and I guessed my own looked the same. The boy threw a punch toward my side, but it was wild and I could tell he was getting tired. Quickly, I grabbed his feet out from under him and watched as he fell to the ground. He didn't get back up (No he wasn't dead, just defeated).

"We have a new champion!" the man yelled into the crowd.

I smiled happily as I was handed my money.

"That's outrageous!" a man screamed. "She cheated!"

The man who gave me the money looked into the crowd for the person who was yelling. "The lass didn't cheat. I saw it with me own eyes and what I say goes. The rules to me fights are, there ain't no rules. If ya have a problem with 'em then take it up with me later!"

The man turned to me with a smirk. "Congrats, lass. Come back tomorrow to win some more," he said to me.

I nodded and walked back toward the hole I called home.

When my sisters saw my face they gasped and tried to help me but I pushed them off.

Smiling wide, I held up my sack of money and stated simply, "I won."

That was one turning point in our lifestyle that I will never forget. From then on every day I went to the same spot to fight against worthy opponents. Whenever I won there was always someone who didn't like the outcome, but Silas (the man who held all the fights) just told them to take it up with him if they had a problem. I was constantly bloody and bruised, but I felt good knowing I had earned the money and I could hold my own against men who wanted to attack me.

I was fifteen when my life was changed once again. I was walking along my usual path to fight, but when I got to the spot no one was around.

"Silas?" I called.

Silas stepped out of the shadows and walked to me. "Aye?" he asked

"Where is everybody?" by this time of day there was normally a huge crowd of people waiting to see the fights.

"I sen' 'em away taday," he said gruffly.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Oh...Um why?"

"Today lass, I want ta teach ya somethin'," Silas said, walking back into the shadows.

I followed behind him asking, "What do you want to teach me?"

Silas turned back to me once we entered the shadows. "Do ya know what I do fer a livin' lass?" he asked me.

"Hold fights?" I guessed.

He smirked. "Naw, that be me hobby. I be a blacksmith, lass," Silas said.

"You mean you make swords?"

Silas nodded. "Aye."

"You want to teach me to be a blacksmith?" I asked. "You know girls aren't allowed to work."

"No, no. I don't wanna teach ya ta be a blacksmith, but what I do wanna teach ya be somethin' that isn't allowed," he said.

My eyes narrowed at him, not sure where this conversation was headed.

"Have ya ever fought with a sword, Sam?" he asked.

I looked at Silas with a weird expression. "Um, no?" I questioned. "What are you talking about?"

"I want ta teach ya how ta defend yourself properly," Silas told me.

I turned my head to the side, just barely understanding the meaning behind his words.

"How would ya like it if I taught ya some swordsman skills?"

I was taken back at this comment. "I-I'm a girl. If I was caught I'd be killed! If you were caught you'd be killed!"

Silas nodded. "Aye, that be true. But though ya be a lass, ya can fight as well as any man I've seen and I think yer ready fer somethin' more challengin'. What do ya think?"

I spoke slowly. "You would be willing to risk your life to help me learn to sword fight?" I asked.

"Well, there would be a catch of course," Silas said.

I gave him a small smile. "And what would that be?"

"Ya'd have ta fight in me other circle. That be the one where ya can use swords an' ya make more money," Silas told me. "Would ya be willin' ta learn ta use a sword fer that price?"

"I'll have to think about it," I said, pretending to think about his amazing, life changing offer.

"It be a one time only offer, lass," Silas said.

I brought my hand down from my face and looked up at the man. "In that case, I'll accept the offer," I said slowly.

Silas smiled and shook my hand. "Ya will be 'ere everyday after the fights or I'll be thinkin' ya don' want ta learn anymore," he demanded.

I nodded and with two words I changed my life. "Yes, sir," I said.

With that I made my way back to our small hole in the ground to deliver the news to my waiting sisters.

Silas was very excited about having a fifteen year old girl in his fights and he told the news to anyone and everyone who would listen as long as they were trustworthy. Every week more and more people came to see me fight without weapons and they were very surprised to see that I won against almost any opponent, and when I lost I got right back up and fought in the next fight.

Finally it was the day before my first swordfight and I was headed to my last training session before the big day. I entered the old, run down blacksmith house and went to the usual practice place. I picked up my sword that was made especially for me by Silas himself and began swinging it around as if fighting an actual opponent.

A heard a laugh from behind me and turned to see Silas watching me with his sword at his side. "I see yer excited 'bout that fight," he said.

I nodded, putting my sword at my side.

"Taday's not 'bout pacticin', lass," Silas said, picking up his own sword. "Taday we're ta fight ta the death. Well, no' literally but ya know what I mean."

I only nodded, moving into possion and getting ready to fight my own teacher.

"You really think I'm ready for this?" I asked Silas, feeling unsure about it.

He nodded. "I think ya've been ready fer a while, jus' waitin' 'til ya believed in yerself."

I eyed the sword that was being held out and without warning we were locked in a fearsome battle. I'd never worked this hard and I'd never wanted to prove myself more than I did at that moment.

Silas lunged to put his sword in the direction of my stomach, but I moved and went for his throat. He didn't move, but instead blocked with his own sword and pushed mine back toward myself. I moved back with the blade so that it didn't come back too far and then advanced again swinging my blade for his ankles. He jumped to avoid being hit and then swung at my head. Quickly, I ducked and pushed my sword against his legs sending him flying to the ground. I was up and forcing his sword from his hand in moments, pointing my own sword at my teacher's throat.

Silas smirked and before I knew it he had a gun in his hand, cocking it and pointing at me.

The gun brought back so many unwanted memories and without thinking about it I was ten years old once more and I was back in my parent's bedroom. A gun was cocked to my father's head and my mother had a blade to her throat. I heard the blast from the gun and saw the brains on the wall. I heard a cocking and saw the same gun pointed to my head. I was being forced to find my father's treasure for the man that had killed him. I saw my parent's dead bodies on the floor the next morning.

"Sam!" my name was being called, bringing me back to reality. "Sam!" Silas called.

I looked at him for a moment, bringing myself back to the present.

"I wasn' really goin' ta shoot ya," Silas mumbled. "Pick up yer sword and let's try that again shall we?"

I looked at the ground and saw that I had indeed dropped my sword. I picked it up and put it into it's sheath, walking back to the starting point once more.

"Ya a'right lass?" Silas asked, seeing my pale face in the sunlight.

I nodded. "Yeah, I just , uh, spaced out."

"It looked like a lot more 'an spacin' out," Silas told me.

"I'm fine."

Silas nodded and once again I was locked in combat. We went through the fight again, my sword swinging and missing, his sword coming close but never close enough. After ten long, hard minutes of fighting I cornered Silas against a wall and pointed my blade at his neck. But again, he surprised me with the gun and with it came more memories.

I was thirteen and Julie died before my eyes. I was eleven, watching for the first time a fellow orphan being hung. I was being chased by someone I had stole from and being threatened with the noose. Emma was angry and shaking me before throwing me down into the ground, telling me to get out before she seriously hurt me. I was ten -

"Sam!"

Again I was pulled to the surface by the sound of Silas's rough voice.

"Sam!"

I blinked to find I had dropped my sword again.

"What is goin' on with ya, lass?" Silas asked me.

I picked up my sword before answering. "Nothing, I just - nothing."

"It didn' very well look like nothin'" Silas said.

"Well, it was nothing."

"Whatever you say," Silas told me, putting his hands up in surrender.

We fought again and again, always ending in the same way. I would have him cornered, but Silas would pull the gun on me and I would have more flashbacks before I would be pulled to the surface by Silas shouting my name. Finally I learned to get the gun away from him before he used it on me and I had one less thing to worry about. Even if I didn't get it away from him I was getting better at blocking out the terrible images that invaded my mind.

When it was finally time for me to leave, Silas smiled and took my sword to put it in it's place.

"Goodnight, Silas," I called.

"G'night, lass," he yelled back to me from who knows where.

I smiled one last time before leaving the blacksmith shop and walking back to our newest hole in the ground.

Lilly was up waiting for me when I got back. She just shook her head at all the new cuts and bruises I had from fighting.

"I don't know how you can do that," she said. "And it looks like you like doing it.""Well, that's because I do like doing it," I replied quietly, seeing everyone else was asleep. "I like to fight with a sword and I like to win money for doing it. Especially if it helps with money and food."

Lilly sighed and then laughed. "You should've been a boy, then you'd be able to do that without the risk of getting hung."

I nodded in agreement. "That would've been a lot better for us in this mess, wouldn't it."

"Come on, get to sleep," growled Emma in our direction. She'd been very strict with me ever since my outburst after Julie's death.

Lilly and I sighed at the sound of our uptight, still lady-like sister. She never could quite grasp the fact that we were in a hole in the ground and we were never going back to a house. She just sat there in her spot day after day and made everyone else do the work and shouted at me when I didn't do something right.

"Night Sam," Lilly said quietly once she had laid down.

I had made a point about being called Sam and now I wanted for everyone to call me by it and nothing more.

A second too late I replied, "G'night Lilly."

Then I was the only one awake, left to contemplate the day that was rapidly coming with the sun. I was to fight my first real sword fight in the coming afternoon and I wasn't sure I was ready. But my troubles soon changed to dreams and I was left to my subconscious.

I woke with the sun rising early the next morning and with a knot in my stomach. Today was the day I'd been practicing for weeks and now I wasn't sure I'd do as well as I'd planned. All the footings and blocks I'd learned left my mind and I couldn't remember anything for the life of me.

I had a quick breakfast with my sisters, stale bread and a few drops of water, and then I was off to fight the smaller fights for the morning.

Winning all my fights didn't put me in high spirits for the sword fights coming up. Though Silas was sure I was going to win, I couldn't help but be nervous. Then it was time to get out my amazing new sword and get ready for the fight. Silas started out by telling everyone that today was the day that the girl he'd been training would be fighting. More people than ever were in the circle that Silas held and I was the main source of the talk amongst them.

I walked to the center of the circle and faced my opponent. He was a scraggly man with short hair, but I didn't have time to pay attention to his looks.

"Now," Silas began. "For those of ya who don't know the rules here they are: there ain't no rules. Anythin's fair long as I say so."

There was a mumbled answer through the crowd about the fact that he would surely make it fairer for the one he had taught, but they didn't get much in because Silas was telling us both to begin the fight.

Standing there and looking my opponent in the eye made me want to win so much more. Suddenly I wasn't nervous and everything I'd been taught came back to me. I smirked and raised my sword as did the man across me.

The man I was fighting wasn't that big of a man and he didn't look to good with his sword when he held it, but as we swung our first time I realized it was all just a trick. Quickly, I became defensive and I swung towards his ankles. Instead of jumping like I thought he would, he moved back and jabbed his sword toward my face. I moved my sword up and blocked my head, moving back.

He was stronger than I was and soon I felt myself tiring. Just as I thought I'd had enough, I saw a hole in his defense. If I swung to the right, he didn't cover his left side. I made up my mind quickly, knowing this was my only chance if I was to win. Our blades hit fast and I was gaining my confidence as I realized that I might just win my first sword fight. I went in for his right side and as he went to block the incoming blow, I switched directions and hit his left side. The shock made him drop his sword and when I held my own to his throat he just stared at me. I watched all of his movements until I heard Silas declare me winner.

No one objected to the fact that I had won by being fair and, though I heard some grumbles about a fifteen year old girl winning against a grown man, no one said anything more.

I was handed my sack of money and I left that night feeling very proud of myself.

When I reached our hole I saw my sisters sitting around doing nothing like they had been doing since I'd started fighting and bringing back real money.

"I won," I said and I walked into our space.

Emma looked to me even more coldly than normal. "How much did you get?" she asked, not paying attention to any of the cuts and bruises I had earned myself, but instead to the sack of shillings in my hands.

"Enough," I said back, wanting to keep just some of it this time.

Emma glared at me and asked again, "How much?"

"More than normal," I retorted, not wanting to give her the money at all.

"Hand it here," she demanded.

My anger flared once again. "No."

Emma looked at me with pure hatred in her eyes. "Samantha Elizabeth, the money."

She held out her hand for my full sack.

"I don't think so," I said.

"Give the money to me so it will go where it's needed," Emma demanded of me.

I knew she would take some of it and use it on things that she wanted and I knew that she was in a rage worse than normal, but I didn't care, I had earned the money and I was keeping it.

I turned my back to her and began laying down to sleep, shoving the money under my makeshift pillow.

One second I was putting the money under my pillow, the next I had been spun around to face my angry older sister.

Emma took my chin in her hand and forced me to look her in the eyes.

"I don't think you heard me right," she hissed. "Because if you did then I would have that money in my hand right now."I pulled my head from her hand and glared into her icy green eyes. "I heard you just fine," I retorted. "But I don't think you heard me. Let me spell it out for you, I'm not giving you the money I made."

Her hands wrapped around my shoulders and held them so tight I could feel the blood leaving my arms. She shook me roughly and saw a side of my sister that I'd never seen before, even when I had told her she didn't care about her sister's death. Pure madness filled her eyes and for the first time since I'd learned to fight for myself I truly felt afraid for my life.

"Who do you think you are?" she screamed. "I've done everything for you! I've always taken care of you and this is how you repay me?"

I didn't answer her questions, afraid that she'd take it as something bad and hurt me.

Emma's nails dug into my skin, and I gasped in pain.

"Answer me when I talk to you!" she yelled in my face.

It felt like my throat had constricted and all I could do was nod.

All of our sisters just sat and watched as Emma grabbed my ratted brown hair and pulled me outside.

"You think you can do whatever you want just because you were Dad's favorite and now you bring home money," she muttered to herself. "I'll teach you to talk to me like that!"

Emma stopped by the water and brought me to look her in the eyes.

"You will not talk back to me," she told me.

The next moment I was dunked under the murky brown water that we'd thrown Julie into when she died. I inhaled sharply when my head was shoved under and my lungs quickly filled with water.

From that point on my sister and I regarded each other tightly, going about our daily routines and talking to each other only when necessary. She never threatened my life again as long as I didn't do anything to provoke it. And I did as she told me to, I didn't want to worry any of the other girls even if it meant that I would take her on by myself.

I continued to fight and win, while Silas taught me more and more about the 'art of the swords' as he liked to call it. We kept moving until we ended up in a place next to the ocean. It seemed as if everything was finally going as good as it would ever get.

Another tragedy hit our family when I was about twenty (it was hard to count the time when you lived in a cave or hole in the ground). I woke early that morning with the sun rising. None of the other girls were up yet and the dew on the us hadn't yet dried. Out by the water I could hear people shouting and footsteps on the docks. Then there was gunshots. The next sound I heard sent me back to when I was a child again. It was the sound of blood-curdling screams and bodies dropping to the ground. It wasn't the first time pirates had attacked, but it was the first time since we'd lived in this place and we'd seen other kids get killed and beaten for fun.

Around me, my sisters had jumped up with the bullets being shot. Rosie, only a year older than me, looked as though she had seen a ghost. She was pale, but slowly turning a light greenish color.

I had no time to think about her memories, though. I had to think ahead, there were pirates out there. Would they come in here? If they did what was I to do for my sisters? My mind reeled, trying to think of everything at once. Then, I knew what I had to do. If anything was going to happen I would need my sword, nothing good would happen if we stayed here like scared little chickens.

"We have to go," I yelled over the gunfire.

The six of them looked up to me as if I were crazy.

"We have to get out of here, nothing good will happen if we just sit and do nothing!" I exclaimed.

Still, they didn't move.

I sighed. "Do any of you have a better plan?"

Maybelle stood and looked me in the eye. "How about we stay here and not risk our necks out there," she said.

"That won't help!" I cried, fearing our time here was limited. "If they come in here we'll be out numbered and cornered! We won't have very good odds if we stay in here! But we would have better chances in the midst of the confusion."

Gracie was slowly nodding her head. "I think Sam's right," she said. "We'll have better chances in the confusion of the town."Emma looked at her like she had grown a third head. "No, we can't go out there! If we do, one of us could get shot!"

"Yeah, but if we're in here we're all going to get shot," Gracie said.

She looked to me, determination bright in her blue eyes. "You lead, little sister."

"Wait!" Emma cried. "We can't go out there! I won't!"

I made up my mind then. "Then we'll have to leave you," I stated.

Gracie turned to look at me with indecision.

"If she won't leave then we can't force her, but we have to do something for those of us who have the sense to leave," I said, no sympathy in my voice.

Gracie closed her eyes, but nodded. "If you think it's safer to stay then you can do just that, but I'm going with Sam. I think this is our best chance."

Rosie stood up. "I'm going with you," she said.

"I think it's safer to stay here," Maybelle said, sitting up a little straighter.

We looked to Lilly and Isabelle.

Lilly nodded and stood while Isabelle shook her head and sat next to our other sisters. We were into our final groups, one would die while the other lived and we had chosen what we thought would take us to live on. Myself, Gracie, Rosie, and Lilly were to go out into the world and leave Maybelle, Isabelle, and Emma alone to defend themselves.

I squeezed my eyes together tightly, but then opened my eyes and forced myself to move on.

"Okay, I hope you made the right decision," I said nodding and steeling myself for the outside.

I turned to the girls who had decided to come with me and spoke to them. "Stay together and run for the blacksmith shop. Keep an eye on everything around you, but most importantly keep moving."

The three of them nodded and grabbed each other's hands.

We moved out of our hole quickly and silently, not looking back at the girls behind us. As we looked at the world around us we saw bodies on the ground and pirates running above. Before any of it could fully hit us, we were moving again, running through the crowd toward what little hope we had. At the end of the road we looked back toward our hole that we knew we'd never go back to. I never could get over what I saw next, what I had to do will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Slinking into the opening of our hole were three pirates with wicked grins planted on their dirty mouths. Rosie screamed loudly beside me and almost ran for the hole but Lilly grabbed her and soon she had fallen into sobs. I looked at them for a moment with hard eyes, not showing that something inside me was breaking too.

"We have to keep moving," I commanded.

My sisters looked up at me as though I had grown three more heads and was about to attack them. "We can't just leave them!" Lilly hissed at me. Did you read the memo?I'll keep doing this if you don't.

I looked at her coldly, showing no emotion. "If we don't keep moving we'll be killed too and then there'll be none of us left," I told them bluntly. "If you want to stay here and die that's not my choice but don't make everyone else die too."

Rosie looked to me with tear-filled eyes. "I think Dad chose the wrong one of us to be his favorite. He chose the one with no heart," she spat venomously.

I looked at her fiercely. "You think I have no heart? I'm trying to save us all but they decided to stay back and I'll have a good cry about that later but right now I have to get you idiots to safety!"

Gracie stood and wiped the tears from her face. "Sam's right, we have to keep moving or we'll die and there'll be none of us. It'll do no good to sit here crying until someone comes to kill us or worse."Rosie still glared at me darkly but allowed herself to be pulled to her feet by Gracie. Lilly nodded and sniffed as she, too, got up.

I glanced toward the edge of town and saw that the pirates were getting closer to where we were and then looked back to the sisters that had come with me. "We have to move!" I said, pushing them toward Silas's place.

With one last glace we turned and ran away from the oncoming pirates and into the just rising town. I hardly had time to think about the people that we were passing that had no idea what was coming. The screams from town grew louder and soon it was alight with fire, burning houses and buildings to the ground..

We ran through the maze of roads and back alleys until the old, familiar blacksmith shop finally came into view. I checked once more to make sure no one had fallen behind and saw the pirates much closer than I'd anticipated.

"Don't look back!" I shouted, seeing one man slaughtered while the pirate laughed.

Finally we made it to Silas and my sword. I pushed the door open quickly and ushered my older sisters inside before shoving the heavy, wood door back into place behind them.

I looked around the shop that I had grown so accustomed to in the past years. First off, I had to get my sword. I would be no help if I couldn't use weapon against weapon. Then I had to find Silas and let him know what was coming, I would be no kind of person if I didn't at least warn him of the dangers waiting in the early morning.

I went to the corner where my sword was always kept and picked the blade up at once, putting it into place. I looked at the swords around it for a minute and figured that it would be best to carry two sword today. I grabbed another one and put it on. Then it was time to find my teacher and friend.

I thought for a moment more, deliberating about what I should do with my sisters, then decided bringing them with me would be the best idea.

"Wait," I said, pulling them to a halt. "Do any of you know anything about fighting with a sword? Anything at all?"

For a second they just stared at me without speaking, Gracie broke the silence first. "I've seen you do a few moves without one and have been trying those, does that count for anything?"

I picked the nearest sword up and placed it in her hands. "Show me what you can do," I said, speaking quickly.

Gracie did a few basic moves with the sword and then dropped it to her side. "I can't do much," she apologized.

"No, no. That's fine, you know the basics and that's good enough right now. Anyone else know even that much?" I asked them once more.

They silently shook their heads and I sighed. "Come on, we have to find Silas now."

I weaved quickly through the many swords and unfinished blades toward the back of the building where Silas slept, older sisters in tow. I eventually found a door that I had never been in and tried opening it. As I thought, Silas didn't keep his house locked and I was able to slip easily into his space.

The front room wasn't much, a small kitchen/dining room with old wood flooring. The table was small with two chairs, they were almost the same dark brow color of the floor and they looked just as dirty. Beyond the kitchen we could see a sitting room that was barely furnished, it was cluttered with pieces of swords and other kinds of fighting weapons.

I ushered the three girls into the room and told them to stay put. I, on the other hand, walked through the small house trying to locate the room that held a sleeping Silas. The search wasn't long, I only had to look through one room and then found the one I was looking for.

Silas slept soundly, unaware of the town falling apart around him, I almost felt bad for having to wake him but then remembered the nightmare that was outside the shelter of the house.

"Silas," I whispered, not sure how you were supposed to wake someone when you weren't even supposed to be in their house. Silas didn't move so I tried again, "Silas...Silas...Silas!" my voice had gotten steadily louder and now I felt as though I were shouting into the silence. "Silas!"

Finally the man moved. To my dismay he didn't wake and I was forced to keep calling his name. With one final shout he jolted up in his bed, pulling out a sword from under his blankets and swinging it wildly.

I jumped back expertly from the amateur swings and unarmed the disoriented man. For a moment he only looked at me, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness I assumed, that or waiting for me to pick the sword back up from the ground and behead him. When I didn't cut off his head, Silas bent forward and looked up at my face.

"Sam!" he exclaimed when he realized who I was. "What are ya doin' here at this hour and in my house? Couldn' this have waited 'til mornin'?"

I felt pity for the poor man that thought this was something so trivial that I would be able to wait for morning. When I look back I think he knew it wasn't something like that, though. I think he knew what lurked outside and he had been waiting for it, expecting it.

"Silas, the pirates!" I squeaked, finding it harder to use my voice around someone who was still ignorant. I cleared my throat and retried. "The pirates are here, they're coming this way and headed into town!"Only now did Silas take in the two swords at my waist and the pale white sate of my skin, the way I breathed hard and panted now that my goal was complete. I was sure when I brought my sisters here that Silas would be able to help, maybe magically make the pirates evaporate. But in the end he was about as much help as my parents were the night of their death.

"What do ya want me ta do, Sam?" he asked me as he got out of bed, picked the sword up from the ground and picked out clothes so he could get up and get ready for the day, or the fight I couldn't tell.

"H-help," I choked out. "Do something, anything!"

Silas sighed and looked at me the same way I had looked at him before I had woken him from his sleep. "Where are yer sisters, lass?" he asked me softly.

"Half of them are here and the other half are-are," I couldn't go on.

He nodded as though he'd known at least part of the answer all along. "I don' know why ya needed ta wake me, but ya and ya sisters can stay here 'til they leave," he offered to us.

"What do you mean, don't know why I needed to wake you? They're burning whole houses to the ground!"

"Lass, this be a blacksmith shop, unimportant to anyone be a pirate or rich man. No one ever touches the blacksmith shop or tries ta do anythin' ta it.

I didn't know what to say, he had not been out there in the middle of it and he had not been running like we had.

"Silas, it's worse than you think. There's more pirates out there than I've ever seen and they're burning everything!"

"More than ya've ever seen before? What kind of sails did they have?" Silas seemed all of a sudden more interested in what I had to say.

I faltered for a moment when I realized he was taking me seriously again, but quickly regained my composure. "I-I don't know, I didn't have time to see," I stuttered, not able to recall the sails of the ships.

This did not make Silas any less enthusiastic, though, instead it seemed to make him even more interested and giddy. "I have to get ready," he said to himself.

"What?" I asked, I had gone from terrified to scared to no hope to just plain confused.

His eyes snapped back up to me. "He'll want ta see ya, last time I told him about ya and he would've came and seen ya then but I told him I still had work to do on ya. Now yer all ready and he's here."

I was lost, my heart pounding loudly in my chest and my adrenaline rush still at its high. "Who? Who wants to see me? Why didn't you let him see me before?" I asked.

But Silas was past answers. He pushed me out of the room and closed the door. I could hear him rustling about for a few minutes and then he came back out, fully changed with his sword on his hip.

Silas walked past me and into the kitchen where my sisters had settled in quite nicely. He didn't pause to say hello or ask what they were doing, only turning around to ask if we'd like anything to eat. None of us were hungry, but Silas ate a whole plate of homemade pancakes before walking through the door to the blacksmith shop.

He seemed like a totally different person than the one I grown to know over the many years of training and friendship. I followed him out of the door, telling the girls to stay put for just a little more.

Silas busied himself with meaningless cleaning that did nothing to the shop, but he seemed to enjoy it and think it would do something. I kept hearing snatches of what he was saying, things like 'He'll be here, you wait and see' or 'Taday's the day I've been waiting for, for two years'. I didn't talk back because I didn't know if he was talking to me or to himself, but I guessed the latter.

After hours of following Silas around the shop the noise outside died down and all we could hear was the pitter-patter of rain on the roof. Silas sat down on a chair that he had made and I took a seat next to him. He didn't loose any enthusiasm, though and we sat like that for another three hours.

Silas began to take the hint that no one was coming when we saw the bolt of lightning rip across the sky. He sighed and got up from his chair, heading to the door at the back of the room. We were almost to the door when something finally happened.

Silas put his hand out on the doorknob, but before he could pull the door open a heavy bang sounded from the front. I spun around as I gripped my sword, suddenly on my guard. Silas reacted much differently, his face broke out into a toothy smile and he began walking back to the front. I followed behind and didn't let go of my sword, if he wasn't going to worry I sure was.

When we got to the front the door was wide open but no one was there. This didn't do anything for Silas, if anything he seemed to get even giddier. He closed the heavy door and looked around his shop.

"This is the one you were telling me about?" a voice asked from the ceiling.

My eyes darted to the rafters above us and I scanned them, looking for any sign of a person. My hand tightened on my sword so that my hand hurt, but I didn't let go of it.

"Yep, this be the one," Silas spoke to nothing.

A low chuckle came from my right and I turned, but of course there was no one. My eyes moved back to the ceiling and I tried to separate shadow from actual things.

"You look oddly familiar, have I seen you before?" the voice asked.

I continued my searching while I answered, "I highly doubt that."

Another voice suddenly began talking and my eyes started searching faster, how many were there?

"Why don't you just leave the girl alone, don't you see she's freaked out?" the second voice said.

"William, I will leave the girl alone when I feel like it because I am the captain and what I say goes," the first voice said.

So he was the captain, he ordered this from his crew and they were the ones who had killed my sisters. He was ultimately to blame for their deaths, I quickly made the connection.

The second voice didn't say anything anymore.

"I guess William is right, it's no fun playing with you anymore," the first voice said.

A mumble came from the second voice.

The next thing I knew two pirates had jumped out in front of us. I jumped and pulled my sword out reflexively. Silas's smile was as wide as ever and his eyes were lit up like the sky outside was when we made it here.

I glared at the pirates before me, but sheathed my sword. Now I could take a look at my potential opponents. If I was thinking in a strictly fighting way neither of them seemed to have much muscle, not so they looked unhealthy but kind of like myself. The one on the left looked like he could hold his own weight, but he looked uncomfortable where he was, the one on the right looked more relaxed, as though he'd been doing this kind of thing his whole life.

Then I took in their appearances as a girl and really looked at them. The one on the left, the uncomfortable one, was cute. He had longer brown hair that he had tied up and he was wearing a baggy white shirt with brown pants and boots. The sword at his side didn't do as much to me as the gun that was next to it. He didn't really catch my eye as a threat, though, so I moved on to the guy on the right.

This one left me on my guard, he had long brown dreadlocks with a bandana over them and a goatee with two braids coming off the end. He wore a hat with three points on his head and his brown eyes had a secretive glint in them. His clothes consisted of a white shirt, brown vest that went with his brown pants and black boots. His effects weren't much, a sword, gun, and last of all, a compass.

The one on the right stuck his hand out. "Jack Sparrow, miss," he said.

**I glared at the **hand between us, but there was no threat in a hand-shake so I put my hand in his and allowed him to shake my hand. "Sam," I spat at him.

He only smirked. "Sam."

Then we dropped hands and I instantly gripped my sword.

The one on the left was starting to put his hand out when Jack said his name for him. "This is William Turner, but you can call him Will."

Will shook his head, but put his hand out to shake anyway.

Again I glared at the hand in front of me, I didn't enjoy this, letting go of my sword. It made me feel edgy, which I knew I had reason to feel that way. Still, I shook his hand quickly and dropped it as soon as possible.

"Jack," Silas said. "It's been too long."Jack nodded. "Too long it has been. I assume she's ready by now? Or must I come back in another year to see what she can do, what kind of potential she has?"

Silas stammered, "No, no. She's quite ready now, but two years ago she was still learning all the footwork and she would never be able ta fight a pirate. She's ready ta fight just 'bout anyone now, she might even give ya a run fer yer money."Jack didn't say a word. Instead he started looking me over and I watched his every movement, leaving Will unguarded. He nodded at certain points and his dreadlocks moved with his head.

Suddenly I realized how bad I must look and became slightly self-conscious. But only for a second because I remembered that I lived on the street and I had six other girls in the house to feed. I waited for the scrutiny of myself to be completed, thinking about my sisters that were in the other room and trying not to think about the girls I left behind.

Jack stopped in front of me and looked at my face. I raised my eyebrows at him, ready to slit his throat if he so much as thought about using his sword. He chuckled and turned to talk to Silas once more.

"She looks like she's been built to fight with a sword, but how well can she actually fight?" Jack asked Silas.

Silas answered at once. "She's 'bout as good as I be, nothin' more fer her here," Silas said. "I haven't taught her nothin' 'bout guns, I don't know enough 'bout them myself."

I watched the exchange between them thoroughly confused, what were they talking about 'no more left here'?

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I didn't notice when Jack turned back to me and began talking. It took Silas calling my name a few times before I finally was able to do anything at all.

"Can you fight?" Jack was now asking me.

I grinned at this question, I was better than anyone on this island. "Yes," I answered him.

He took out his sword, "Let's see how well. Now don't let that confidence go to your head."

My grin turned into a smile and I brought my sword out to touch lightly with this pirate's own. I had never imagined I would fight a pirate and would enjoy it as much as I did.

Silas took his place to the side of us and looked between us. "The rules are: There ain't no rules. Anything in this room can be used, but please don't leave the room, it would cause a little chaos outside and I don't want that. Now, go!"

His hands came down as if splitting us in two and then we were left to fight. We circled each other and watched the other person's hands and footwork, I had to admit, he was good.

Jack made the first move, swinging to my left and as I went to block I realized he was faking. Quickly, I moved my sword back to the right just in time, our swords met. I pushed our swords back toward him and then backed away, I knew how well that position could work, but also how easily it could backfire.

Jack stepped forward and I stepped back, our swords clanging together again and again. I jumped and he swung, he ducked and I slashed, I jabbed and he met my swing with one of his own. We were locked in a perfectly synchronized dance, moving together as if we were one. I anticipated his every move and he anticipated mine. Neither of us said a word as we fought, the only sound being our ragged breathing, our feet on the dirt we called a floor, and our blades hitting every few seconds.

We went on for hours and neither of us grew tired of the dance we were engaged in, our attentions never leaving our opponent for even a moment. I faked to the right and went for his feet as Jack went to block. He wasn't expecting me to go for his feet and I knocked his sword out of his hand. Jack fell back and I pointed my sword toward his throat to show that I had won the battle.

I had made one fatal mistake, though. I overestimated myself and forgot that he was pirate and carried a gun. Jack smirked as he pulled it up and cocked it in my face. Caught off my guard, I hadn't tried to suppress any memories and everything came flooding back:

Dad was killed before my eyes, Mom dropped to the floor dead, I was watching another kid being hung, Julie was in my arms taking her last breaths, I was being threatened with the noose for stealing, Emma was forcing my head under the water and I was struggling for breath, I had to leave behind my family to try to save the others, I saw those pirates slinking into the hole.

And then Silas was calling my name just as he had when we had begun fighting in the beginning. I felt my body shake with sobs and my sword was beside me on the ground. I wanted to stop the betraying tears, but I couldn't, it was all too much. So I sat there and cried for the first time since I was sixteen years old. As suddenly as they started the tears stopped and sniffed once more.

"What'd I do?" Jack asked.

I wiped the stray tears from my face and got up from the ground, embarrassed that I would cry at gunpoint.

"She does that with guns, I don't know why," Silas was telling the pirate before us.

They looked at me and I answered quietly, "Memories."

Silas's eyebrows furrowed at my one word excuse, but that was all I was going to say on the matter, already it was more than I'd ever said aloud. No one pressed me on the matter, though.

Will came bounding up to us a second later. "How did you learn to fight like that?" he asked.

I tilted my head toward Silas, but didn't say a word. My mind was still caught in the memories that had been suppressed for so long. It took me a moment to notice that the three men were walking away from me and toward the door to Silas's house.

I trailed behind them, unaware that they were talking about me and my future as a pirate.

They opened the door and walked in, leaving it open for myself. I entered behind them to see the girls back on their feet, their eyes wild. Gracie had her sword out, pointing it at Jack, Will, and Silas.

"This one can fight, too?" Jack was asking Silas.

"No," I answered for him. The door slammed shut behind me and made my sisters jump.

Their relieved expressions made me give them a small, tight smile, but then I was looking back to the pirates.

"She can't fight, she only knows what she's seen me do at-well at our holes," I continued on.

Jack nodded once and turned back to Silas. "So, where's the rum?"

Will rolled his eyes, but followed Silas to a cabinet and grabbed a bottle.

"Now William, would your dear Elizabeth approve of your choice in drink?" Jack laughed.

Will sighed, but made no move to put the drink down.

Jack nodded in agreement to something with a look of dismay for a moment, but then it was gone and he was whisking Silas into the sitting room. He stuck his head back out of the door for a moment.

"Stay," he said to all of us. "And William, don't do anything stupid."

Then he was gone, into the sitting room to talk about who knows what with Silas.

Will looked uncomfortable in the room full of girls, but none of them so much as looked at him now that Jack was gone. Obviously they had the same impression I did, Jack was the real one to worry about, not Will.

"So, um, who are you?" he asked the girls.

Lilly was the only one to look up, not even my sweet older sister Gracie gave him the time of day.

"None of a pirate's business," she said.

He looked at me and I answered the question, there was nothing better to do anyway.

"These are my sisters, Gracie, Lilly, and Rosie."

Will nodded, "Will Turner."

Still, the girls wouldn't look at him. I could see their tears silently falling, there was a pirate in the next room and for all they knew he could be the one who killed their sisters. I lowered my head and stood in silence. Will seemed to take the hint and was quiet, too, except for the sound of him taking quiet sips of rum every few minutes.

For a while nothing was said and we heard no sound, each of us lost in their own memories and thoughts. When the door to the sitting room flew open my sisters jumped into the air. I shook my head, but said nothing.

The sound of Silas and Jack's laughter told me they were both drunk and I moved to put my hand on my sword. I could see Will staring at the door, tense also.

"Sam, come in here and close the door," I heard Silas call to me.

I knew it wasn't the best idea, but I really had no choice so I went into the room and closed the door like I was told.

The smell of rum hit me hard as I sat on one of the chairs. I wrinkled my nose at the burning stench, I had never liked the smell or taste of so much as wine. I waited for one of the men before me to start talking."Well, I guess I'll start," Silas said when no one said anything.

I nodded for him to go on.

"Sam, how would ya like ta learn how ta use a gun? Get over that fear ya have of 'em?" Silas asked me.

"I don't have a fear of guns," I whispered.

Silas shook his head. "Of course ya don't, lass. Now, how would ya like ta learn to use a gun?"

"What's the catch?" I asked, remembering myself asking the same question when he had asked me if I wanted to learn to use a sword. There had been a catch then and I would bet my life that there would be a catch now.

Jack chuckled lightly to my right, but my attention was on Silas for the moment.

"Why does there need ta be a catch?" he asked guiltily.

I narrowed my eyes at the man and just waited for him to answer the question.

"Jack would be yer teacher and ya'd go aboard his ship ta learn," Silas said after another gulp of rum.

"No," I said.

Now Jack spoke up. "Well lass, see it really wasn't a yes or no question," he told me. "Now, are we going to have to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

My eyes widened and I looked to Silas. He wouldn't let this man kidnap me would he?

As that thought ran through my mind I had the strangest sensation that I had been in a situation like this before, not the same thing, but something like it; frightened and looking to someone I trusted to find that they couldn't do what I wanted. I couldn't puzzle over this though because Silas was talking, persuading Jack to try and get me to go with him on good terms.

Finally Jack gave in and he looked back to me.

"Why don't you want to come?" he asked.

I looked him in the eyes for one long moment and then answered. "You are responsible for my sisters' deaths," I said.

"I thought those girls out there were your sisters. They didn't look dead to me," Jack said.

I glared at him. "I had more than three sisters when I woke up this morning, Jack."

"Captain, Captain Jack," he corrected. "And if three were able to make it here then why not however many there were?"

"The other three thought it would be safer to stay in our hole, Captain," I spat.

"Ahhh, well I did not kill your other sisters, lass. I'm sorry they were murdered, I truly am, but there's nothing I can do," Jack said.

I glared.

He sighed and looked at me again. He seemed oddly sober for drinking so much rum (he was on his fifth bottle).

Silas broke in then to try and talk me into leaving. "Well then, if ya blame Jack fer killing' yer sisters then I guess yer blaming me, too," he said.

"You had nothing to do with it," I argued, they were not going to make me leave with the man who was responsible for killing my older sisters.

"Are ya sure bout that? Sam, I be with this whole thing and I want ya ta go with jack. I even will help him with anything he needs," Silas explained to me.

I gulped, I was not going to have him be an enemy, too. "You aren't the one who was out there and you weren't the one who killed innocent people."

"Jack wasn't out there with those pirates," Silas said. "Yes, he is their captain, but he didn't say ta go out and kill. 'Sides, he didn't know those were yer sisters out there."

"But he has killed innocent people," I stated.

"Pirate," Jack broke in.

I rounded on him next. "And you choose to kill and be a pirate, so really it doesn't matter who killed them."

I refused to listen to any more and stomped out into the kitchen. My sisters and Will stared at me without saying a word as I paced the small room.

"What'd Jack do?" Will asked, first to speak.

I just stared at him. "Do you know that he wants me to go on that ship with you?"

"He what?" Gracie asked.

I looked to her, "He wants me to go on that ship with him so he can teach me how to use a gun.""And what do you say?"

"I am not going on a ship with a pirate who is responsible for four of my sister's deaths."Gracie relaxed back into her chair with that, knowing that I would not leave without a fight now that my mind was set.

"Jack won't take no for an answer," Will said.

I sighed. "I know."

I had my sister's attentions now.

"Let's not talk about that now, shall we?" I said, looking at their worried expressions.

They didn't relax, but they didn't look any worse now either. Will looked between the three of them and myself before nodding in agreement.

I gave him a tight nod and then leaned against the wall, closing my eyes.

**A few minutes later Will was called into the room with Jack and Silas. I watched as the door opened and saw how many bottles of rum they had consumed. They had to be drunk, the both of them. **

Gracie looked at me suddenly, seeing that we were alone and seizing the opportunity to talk freely.

"I don't think this was a good idea," she said. "You heard them, they said the pirate wouldn't be stopped. You can't leave us to go with the men who killed our sisters.""They killed them, Sam," Lilly spoke. "We no longer have our Maybelle and Emma and Isabelle-" her voice cracked.

I nodded, "I know they did."

"You can't go with them, he is the one who is responsible for their deaths," Rosie said.

"I know."

"We'll never get them back," Gracie repeated.

"I know."

Lilly sighed, "They thought they were saving themselves.""I know."

Rosie cried, "We left them behind.""I know!" I yelled.

They instantly were quiet and went wide-eyed at my outburst.

"I know that I'm the one you're all blaming for this, I know that I can't go with pirates. I know that I can't leave you guys. I know!"

They didn't say a word as I continued on with my rant.

"Don't you think I feel terrible about leaving them in there and not forcing them to come with us? Don't you think that I wish there was a way to go back and change that?"They didn't speak and neither did I. I leaned back against the wall again and closed my eyes, trying to breathe deeply. We could hear the men in the other room conversing, but I didn't listen in. I didn't want to know what they had to say.

Lilly and Gracie started whispering to one another while Rosie stood by me and said nothing. I was grateful that she didn't talk with them, gossiping about how terrible I was. At the same time I wondered why she didn't do any of that and didn't try talking to me.

The door was opened again and out came a very drunk looking Silas followed by a very sober William and Jack who should have been drunk but was still standing tall. Their eyes landed on me as they came into the tiny kitchen.

"Sam, we will leave you to think about our offer in peace just hear us out," Will said.

I looked at each of them icily before raising my head, telling them to continue.

"We-" Will was cut off.

"You think you can go about your whole life winning these little sword fights," Jack started. "Well, there are some things that you don't yet understand."

I narrowed my eyes. "And what would that be, _Captain_?" I sneered.

Jack smirked, "You're a girl and no matter how much you want to deny it, you are one. As you know girls aren't permitted to do things that men can do and there are consequences for doing those said things. Now, you're still able to get by with fighting in the fights but soon people are going to be expecting you to act like a lady."

I stared at him.

He started up again when he realized I wasn't answering him. "Think about this now, would you? When you don't begin acting like a lady people are going to wonder why your parents let you become so different. Some people will go so far as to do some digging into your personal life. They'll find you stealing and they'll find out about you and your sisters being orphans. So what do you think of that?"

"I don't steal now that I make money and they can't do anything to us for living on the streets," I said.

"Really? I think they'll tell tales about you because you're beating all the boys. Do you think anybody will listen to you when a respectable man says that an orphan girl was stealing? You'll lead them to your sisters and then you'll all die."

"That won't happen," I growled. "I'm careful about everything I do, they'd never find out where we live."

"Then you'll leave your sisters to fend for themselves when you're picked up and slaughtered without their knowledge."

I couldn't argue with that and I could see he knew it.

"Think about it," Jack said.

With that he grabbed another bottle of rum and walked out the front door and into the cold blacksmith shop.

Will nodded to us all and then followed Jack without a backward glance.

When the door closed behind them no one spoke and I was left to contemplate what had been said, along with my sisters. My attention was soon drawn toward the drunken man standing beside us, though, as he swayed and hummed quietly to himself.

"Silas, let's get you to bed," I said quietly.

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded and began the short walk to his bedroom.

I sighed and paced the small space between the table and the wall. Four, five, six, seven steps one direction. Five, six, seven steps in the other direction. I didn't want to think, it was much too overwhelming.

One by one my sisters fell asleep in the chairs. I went with Rosie into the sitting room and watched her fall asleep on the small couch, assuring her that I wouldn't leave her alone.

I was about to doze off when the front door opened slowly, closing quickly after. The floor boards in the kitchen creaked and I reached for my sword. After a moment the door to the sitting room was opened and in sauntered none other than Captain Jack Sparrow.

**I glared at him and kept my hand on my sword, not trusting him at all. **

"Look, I know that your sisters won't let you leave," he said quietly, glancing at Rosie and then looking back at me. "But you have to come aboard the Pearl, you don't have a choice, either you come by force or you come with at least some dignity."

"The Black Pearl?" I scoffed. "That ship's only a myth."

Jack smirked. "No, Sammi, not a myth."

I dropped the smile at once. "Don't you ever call me Sammi."

"What are you going to do about it, Sammi?" he asked, stepping closer to me.

I pulled my sword out and swung it at the pirate advancing toward me.

Jack quickly disarmed me because of my rage and he had his sword to my throat. "Never threaten Captain Jack Sparrow, luv."

Standing in that room with Jack pressing a sword against my throat brought back the memories that had threatened to break through earlier in the day. As a small child I had been in a very similar position to this one. A young boy pressing a knife to my neck; the man telling the boy, Jack, to kill my mother; the little boy looked a lot like Jack, too, he had brown eyes and brown hair that already was in dreadlocks.

I gasped and pulled away from the blade, pointing at him. "Y-You!" I shouted.

"Me!" Jack shouted back, his hands going into the air.

I put my hand to my neck, remembering the feeling of my mother's warm blood dripping down my throat and the cold blade pressing into my skin. I stuttered, "You k-killed my mother!"

This stopped Jack short.

"Back when I was ten! You couldn't have been much older and you killed my mother and then made me give you my father's treasure," I said, recalling the night I had lost everything.

His eyes narrowed as he thought about that. "Are you sure it was me, Sammi?"

"Are you not the child with dreadlocks that went to a house in the middle of the night to kill a woman, grab her daughter, watch her husband get shot, and then follow the girl into a secret chamber in a closet? Are you not the same child, Jack?"

He looked at me for a moment more. "I'm not the man you're looking for," he said. "But luv, the name's Captain Jack."

I stared at him. "He said your name!" I cried. "The man who killed my father said to take what you can, Jack!"

He was glaring by the time that I finished. "Will you be coming aboard the Pearl or not?"

I sighed and sunk back into my chair. If I chose to stay and was forced to leave then the girls would be even more afraid of pirates. But if I left with them then they would think I was abandoning them. Besides who would take care of them if I left?

"Of course Silas would take them in," Jack said.

Crap, had I said that out loud?

I held my finger up to silence him for a moment. So Silas would take care of my sisters if I had to leave them and surely it would be better for them if I left of my own free will. I had to make a decision, now was the time to decide.

"I want to go with you," I stated.

Jack's grin was not one I wanted to see again. It was a smile that showed how greedy he was and what was in store in the future. This was not going to be a good idea.

"Let's go," he said. With that he turned and headed out of the room.

"W-What are you talking about?" I asked him.

He looked back at me. "You don't expect to stay here for any longer do you? You'll change your mind and we can't have that. Besides, my crew is ready to leave."

I gulped and stared at him wide-eyed. But then I nodded and turned back toward the sitting room.

A hand came down on my arm and gripped it. "Where do you think you're going?"

I looked back at Jack. "Even if they can't hear me, I have to say good-bye to my sisters," I said.

Jack's eyes were clouded with doubt, but he let me go and followed me into the sitting room.

I bent over Rosie and carefully brushed the hair out of her face. "Behave," I told her.

Then I turned and walked into the tiny kitchen. Slowly, I went through each of my surviving sisters and told them each a personal good-bye. And then I was ready to go.

I looked at Jack. "Let's go."

He nodded once and started out the door without a glance back in my direction. Our feet didn't make a sound on the dirt floor, no noise came from either of us and the only thing we heard was the sound of owls in the night.

**We made our way through the broken and scorched town that I had lived in for so long toward the docks. Jack never looked back to check if I was following him and I didn't say word to tell him if I was or wasn't. He went through the town as if he'd lived here his whole life, he seemed to know it as well as I did. Finally we reached the docks, but we didn't stop there. Jack led us past them and toward a small boat on the edge of the water. **

"Where's your ship?" I asked, looking at the boat and then out at the sea.

He looked at me for the first time since we had left Silas's house and spoke. "Out there," he pointed out at the open waters. "You didn't think pirates could just dock at a port whenever, especially after just raiding the town." His eyebrows were high.

I shrugged. "I never thought of it."He rolled his eyes and began undoing the boat from a tree. "Get in," he told me.

I jumped into the boat and Jack came in after me, grabbing the oars. My eyebrows furrowed.

"I could do that," I said.

He chuckled to himself. "I doubt that," he muttered.

I huffed. "I could to."

Jack didn't answer, but continued to row us farther away from the shore, away from the last of my family. Soon the land was out of sight and a small ship was visible on the water. Or at least it looked small when we were still far away. As we got closer I was able to make out details that I wasn't before. The ship had all black sails, it was actually huge.

"Wow," I whispered.

Jack smiled at this. "She's a beauty isn't she."

I could only nod as I looked up toward the ship. But all too soon we had to get out of our boat and climb the ladder lowered to us.

"Ladies first," Jack said, gesturing for me to climb ahead of him.

I shrugged indifferently and began the climb up to the deck of the ship.

When I had gotten to the top I found that there wasn't any girls on this ship. I had already guessed this, but I was hoping to put it off and maybe I'd find a girl or two. Jack pulled himself up next to me on the deck and looked at his crew.

"Crew, Sam. Sam, crew," Jack introduced.

A small chunky man stepped out of the crowd and toward Jack.

"You can't bring another lady aboard, Jack," the man said. "Didn't you see how much damage 'Lizbeth did?"

Someone in the crew made a noise as if to protest and then Will was there at the front.

"Elizabeth didn't do anything!" he said.

Jack and the other man just looked at him for a moment and then went back to their conversation.

"Aye, Elizabeth did plenty of damage," Jack agreed. "But you don't know who this is."

The two men glanced at me and lowered their voices.

"Aye," the second man said. "But who is she?"Jack seemed to realize that I was listening then. "Later." And then he addressed the crew. "Get to work!"

The crew scrambled about the ship going about their jobs.

Jack walked over to the front of the ship and got behind the wheel, looking out at the water. The man from earlier was standing by him and they were talking intently about something. Me, I guessed.

I didn't have anything left to do and I felt ridiculous standing in the middle of the deck so I walked up to them. Immediately the two stopped talking.

"I thought since you forced me onto this ship you could give me something to do, seeing as either I sit around on that deck bored to death or I do something to keep my mind off jumping overboard."

Jack looked at me for a moment before talking back. "If you think you can handle it," he said.

"I can."

"Then you can go help William over there," he nodded over at Will.

I shrugged and left the two men to talk about me in private. They would either do it while I let them or they would do when I didn't, either way they were going to be talking about me and I figured it was better to just let them get on with it.

"Can I help you with anything?" I asked, coming to a stop beside Will.

He looked up at me and nodded. "Take that rope over there and pull hard. Don't let go until I tell you."

"Okay," I said.

I walked to the said rope and grabbed it in my hands. For a second I looked at it, then I gripped it tighter and pulled. It was a lot heavier than I had expected, but I got a hold on it and didn't let go.

"Like this?" I asked Will.

He came to inspect my work. "Yeah, now keep it there for a second."

I could feel my hands burning but nodded all the same and held onto the rope. We were putting up the sails, I realized when I looked up to where it went. Will was gone for more than a second and after a few minutes I could feel my strength waning. I held fast the rope and summoned all of my strength to keep it held high. I was just about to let go when he came back.

"Did you keep it there the whole time?" he asked. "I didn't know I would be gone that long, sorry."

He took the rope from me and tied it around a peg that kept it steady. As I watched him work I huffed, I could have done that if he just would have told me.

"Sorry," Will apologized again.

I rolled my eyes and looked down at me blistered red hands. I was used to this though and nodded, it was time that they were strained anyway. If I couldn't do this than I couldn't do anything on the ship.

From below someone yelled and Will looked at me. "That's dinner."

I followed him as he walked down the stairs and into a room with a long table that held food. It was then that I realized I didn't remember the last time I ate. I looked at the food hungrily as my stomach growled.

"Well eat if you're hungry then," Jack said coming up from behind me.

I jumped and then turned to look at him. But when I turned he was gone, already with a bottle of rum in one hand and an apple in the other.

I sighed but went to get some food. I stood in the back of the room with my back pressed to the wall and watched the pirates eat and drink their fill as I nibbled lightly on my food.

"You just going to stand there all night?" someone asked me.

I turned to see a girl. Her hair was long black and she wore men's clothes, just the same as any other pirate on the ship. Just the same as me, I noticed.

"Annamaria," she introduced and put her hand out for me to shake.

**I wasn't at all weary with this **hand and I gladly shook it. "Sam, but you probably already heard that."

She laughed lightly, "Yeah." She laid back against the wall next to me. "So, what do you think?"

"I don't know, I've only met two of you. Well, three now that I've met you," I answered truthfully.

"Hmm, I would've thought Gibbs had introduced himself by now," she said.

I looked out into the crowd wondering which one was Gibbs. "And who is he?"

"Gibbs was the one who was talking to Jack when you first got here. Don't take it personally when he says he doesn't want a lady on board, he's just a little superstitious."

I looked at her. "You're a lady."

"Hah," she snorted. "Yeah right, I'm not a lady. I may be a woman but I've never been a lady."

I laughed with her. "Then we shouldn't have any problem. I've been living on the streets since I was ten years old and have provided for all of my older sisters. I'm not much of a lady either."

She nodded. "How many sisters do you have?"

"I started out with seven. When my parents died we moved out on the streets and my sister Julia died. When you guys raided I lost another three and now I left my last three at Silas's."

"Ohh, sorry," she said.

I nodded. "Not your fault my life's screwed up. But I know who's fault it is."

Annamaria looked at me. "Who?"

My eyes wandered over to Jack and I tilted my head in his direction.

"Jack?" she asked.

"Yep."

"What'd he do this time?" Annamaria asked.

I stared straight ahead now, talking in a memory. "He murdered my mother and forced us on the streets."

Jack came over to us then and I glared at him.

"What are you two ladies doing?" he asked us.

Annabelle replied, "Just talking."

"Well, I have to show Sammi here to her room," Jack said.

I glared at him. "Stop calling me Sammi. My name is Sam, nothing more."

He shrugged. "You're on my ship now and I'll call you what I want."I sighed as he turned and I followed him up the stairs.

"From now on you'll be scrubbing the decks," Jack told me.

I looked at the dirt-caked floor and groaned, cleaning this thing would be impossible.

"Okay, you'll sleep with the crew."

He took me down the stairs again and into a room with a bunch of hammocks. "This'll be yours. That one's William's and that over there is Annamaria's and Gibbs is right there." He pointed as he spoke. "You got it?"

"Yeah."

"Good, now keep your sword on you at all times and be up with the sun tomorrow."

"Okay," I said.

He left and I made myself comfortable on the make-shift bed. It swayed and I looked up at the ceiling. Soon the crew was coming down to sleep.

"What you doing?" Annamaria asked as she got herself ready for bed.

I shrugged. "Nothing much."

The man 'Gibbs' came over and introduced himself. "Well, I'm Gibbs," he said.

"Cool," I said nodding.

Already Will was laying in his hammock along with everything.

"Come to me if you need anything or are having any problems with the crew," he told me.

"Oh, ok. Thanks."

He nodded and eyed the rest of the crew wearily and then laid back on his hammock.

The sound of snores filled the room and though I was used to this I couldn't sleep. My mind wandered back to my sisters. I had lost so much already and now I just gave up the last of it to come with a pirate? I should have stayed, showed them that I wanted to be with them. But now it was too late and I couldn't go back.

I closed my eyes and fell into a restless sleep in my new home, the Black Pearl.

**I awoke to the dark of early morning. Looking around I saw that no one was awake and the rest of the crew was snoring loudly. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to go back to sleep, but now that I was awake there was no way to get me back to sleep. I sighed and opened my eyes, getting carefully out of the hammock and grabbed my clothes, before stepping into a room that Jack had showed me so I could change. **

When I was done I made my way on deck and went to one of the rails. I leaned against it and breathed in the salty air. The day was going to be nice, though the sun was not up I could see that there were no clouds in the sky. The black waters washed against the ship and I watched as we rocked in rhythm with it.

"What are you doing up so early?" a voice asked from behind me.

I spun around to find none other than Captain Jack Sparrow watching me. "I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep," I answered honestly.

He nodded and came to stand next to me, facing the sea again.

I turned with him and looked out across the water, feeling at ease for the first time since I had left my house the previous morning. Wow, I thought to myself, it was not two days ago that all I worried about was whether or not I was going to win the next fight.

We stood there for a while, just watching the sun rise. As the sky turned from black to orange I could tell that my prediction about the weather was accurate. The sky was cloudless and the waters were calm.

"It's a good day to sail," I said.

Jack looked out at the sky above. "The calm before the storm," was his reply.

"The calm before the storm?"

"There's going to be a huge storm before the week's up," he told me.

I looked at him then, how did he know this? Again I turned my eyes upward and continued watching the as the orange gave way to a slight purple color and then to a light blue. "Well, it's beautiful now anyway," I sighed.

Jack nodded. "I just wish it would stay this way."

Before I could say anything else I could hear a rustling from the crew's quarters.

"It's time to start our day," Jack said.

With that he walked up to the front of the ship and took the wheel, staring out at the open waters and the endless sky.

I sighed again, that had been the first real conversation I had had with the man and it was ruined thanks to that bloody crew. Spotting Annamaria I went to go talk with her.

"What are you doing up?" she asked me when she finally saw me.

"I was watching the waters."

She looked at me as though I were crazy.

"You don't think the water's beautiful?" I asked her.

She just shrugged. "It may not be beautiful but it's the only home I've ever really known and that's good enough for me. I don't ask nothing more from the water than giving me a home."

"Well, I think the water's gorgeous."

Again she shrugged and I sighed. I had been doing a lot of that lately.

"So, what were you doing with Jack?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Nothing, we were just watching the water and the sky."

She nodded and glanced at me. "Do you like Jack?"

I looked at her for a moment. "Like like-like Jack?" I asked her.

Annamaria nodded. "Yeah, you two were up way earlier than anyone else and it looked like you were really into him."

I almost laughed out loud. "I don't like Jack! He forced me to come here and leave behind the last of my family. No, I don't like Jack, but I'll tolerate him."

"Good, because Jack doesn't normally end his relationships well. He always ends up getting smacked by someone," she said, smiling at some memory she had of Jack.

"I don't like him," I said once more.

"Good."

I was about to say more when Jack yelled to the crew. "Get to work!"

I sighed, I would be mopping the decks. How was that supposed to help anything? If anything, it would make the crew fall while they were trying to do something important.

From behind my ear a voice said quietly, "Get to work, Sammi."

I jumped and turned at the sound of someone so close. Jack stood behind me.

"Get mopping these floors, they're not going to clean themselves!"

I nodded quickly but then stopped. "Where's the stuff to clean them?" I questioned.

Jack huffed impatiently but led me to a closet by the stairs. "There, now get to work!"

He turned on his heel and left me standing there, a mop in one hand and a bucket in the other.

I rolled my eyes and began mopping the deck. It was a long, boring job but I didn't complain as I scrubbed the dirt off the floors. I didn't talk much with anyone, they were too busy with their own jobs to pay me much mind anyway.

When the sun was above our heads everyone stopped their work and went below deck, Gibbs coming and telling me that it was time for lunch.

I ate against the wall again talking with Annamaria. She pointed out different pirates, giving me their names and a short background on each.

"That's Cotton," she said, pointing. "His tongue was cut out and that parrot of his talks for him."

I nodded and made a mental note not to ask him any questions.

After lunch I went back to scrubbing the deck, making slow progress with the decade old dirt. The day went by slowly, without much notice of anyone. I talked to Annamaria once and Will stopped by to ask how I was doing but other than that I was left to my own mind.

Finally it was time for dinner and I followed the crew down to the dining room once more. I grabbed my food and sighed, leaning against the spot I had the other times. Now it was Gibbs who came to talk to me.

"How are ye doin'" he asked as he came to stand beside me.

"Fine," I answered.

"Sorry Jack's got ye scrubbin' the decks, but that be better than other things," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "I think I'd rather be doing something with the crew than scrubbing all that dirt."

Gibbs chuckled. "Just think about other things ye could be doin'. Jack could have made you clean the brig."

"Yeah, I guess," I sighed, not wanting to agree with him.

When dinner was done and everyone had the ship in place we went down to the crew's quarters to sleep. I made my way through the men to my hammock and grabbed my clothes, smiling at Gibbs and Annamaria.

"How was your first day at sea?" Annamaria asked me as we walked to the bathroom to change.

"It was fine," I replied, looking at my blistered hands.

Annamaria laughed as she grabbed one to see how bad it was. "Yeah, you'll get used to the work soon enough and then Jack'll put you on some other thing to do," she said.

I smiled and we talked for a while after changing and then fell into our hammocks, exhausted.

"Good night Sam," Annamaria said in the dark.

"G'night Annamaria," I replied sleepily.

With that I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep to dream about my sisters and what I did to them.

**I woke the next day in the early morning, before the sun was up once again. The crew really did have a snoring problem, I could hear at least six different people snoring. I got up from the hammock and grabbed my clothes, I wasn't waiting in that line to change again today.**

After I changed I walked up the stairs and up to the deck, remembering what happened yesterday when I did this. As I stood at the rail I watched the water crash against the ship. The sky was a dark black and I thought about all the different kinds of skies I had seen since my parents had died.

That train of thought wasn't the best, though, because it led back to Jack and how he was the one to kill my mother. I knew he was, even though he denied it when I told him he was. I could tell he was the one, I could feel it in my bones that this was the same person who forced me to give him my father's treasure.

"What are you doing out here?" I heard his voice.

I spun around to see Jack coming out of his room. "I was just watching the water," I said.

He nodded and stood next to me against the rail. He watched the water as I studied him, his face as a child haunted my dreams and this was definitely the same person. Now that I truly looked at him, I could see it in his face as well.

Jack turned to look at me. "What?" he asked.

I shook my head, I couldn't say anything now. Not when there was nowhere to go if I got mad or if I wanted to kill him.

"What is it?" Jack asked again.

But even though I knew that he was the one who killed my mother and I knew that this was bound to make me so mad at him that I would try to kill him, I had to tell him.

"You killed my mother," I said.

"I didn't, Sammi," he replied.

I nodded, I knew he would say something like this.

"You did, though. I remember that night every time I close my eyes. And I remember that boy too. He looked just like you, dark hair with dreadlocks, dark eyes and your face I would remember forever, no matter how much it changed with age. I could pick your face out of a thousand men, a million pirates."

Jack shook his head. "Not my face, luv. I didn't murder your mother and I never saw you until I stopped by at an old friend's place."

I watched him as he talked. "Stop denying it!" I almost yelled. "You don't remember killing a woman as her husband was being held with a gun to his head? You don't remember taking a little girl then, putting your dagger against her throat as her father's brains were blasted out? What about all that treasure you took from that secret room?"

By now the sun was coming up and the crew was beginning to emerge from their room.

"No," Jack answered. "I don't remember any of that."

And then he turned and looked at his crew. "Get to work!" he yelled, stalking off to his spot behind the wheel.

I huffed and went to the closet where everything for cleaning was kept and began the hard and boring job of mopping the deck. Soon Annamaria came to talk to me as I worked.

"What were talking about with the captain?" she asked.

"Nothing important," I replied, scrubbing the deck harder at a difficult spot.

"You looked mad, what was it?" she pressed.

I looked up from my work. "Nothing, really. I can't even remember anymore, besides who needs a reason to get mad at Jack?"

Annamaria shrugged and left me to my work as she went to do her own.

The rest of the day went by in a blur, slowing for lunch and dinner but then becoming hazy when I had to mop. Finally the day was over, though, and I put the mop and bucket away so I could go and sleep.

My dreams were filled with terrible images of my father's brains splattered on the wall and my mother's blood on the knife of a young boy. The boy was walking toward me, but as he got closer he began to change. He grew taller and his hair got longer, things were put in his hair and he got tattoos and his clothes changed into new ones. And now it was a grown version of Jack walking toward me, the knife still in his hand.

I woke with sweat dripping off me and my hair matted to my forehead. I was breathing hard and I couldn't see anything but Jack with that knife. I jumped off of my hammock and grabbed my clothes, changing and walking up the stairs.

The cool air helped me relax and I sighed against the railing, this was going to be a habit of mine it seemed. I thought about my dream and all Jack had said already, maybe he said he wasn't the one because he felt bad about it. Maybe he didn't want to kill my mother. But then again maybe he did and he just didn't want me thinking that he killed her.

I sighed, this thinking was getting me absolutely nowhere and in the meantime my head was getting dizzier and dizzier. I changed the direction I was thinking and thought about how he had gone from a little boy to an adult and how it seemed to fit almost too perfectly. I knew he was the one to kill her, but why did he not just admit it? Now, that was the real question, why couldn't he just admit that he had committed murder when he was younger, that he had killed my mother.

"You're up early," a voice said from behind me.

This was becoming a habit too. I turned to see Jack on the deck coming out of his room. I nodded at him and turned back to the waters.

"Why?" he asked.

I shrugged and stared out at the sea, I was getting tired of this talking with Jack. The only place talking got us was the beginning again.

"So there's no reason, you just woke up a few hours early because you like working all day?" he pressed.

"Nightmare," I told him.

He nodded, "Ahh. What about?"

I didn't want to have this fight with him again, not so early and not when I was so upset about other things. I shook my head.

"What about?"

"Ugh, fine. You."

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Me?"

"You as a kid, killing my mother and then coming to kill me. As you came toward me you got older and you turned into what you are now."

Jack growled," I didn't kill your mother."

"You did and I know it. You don't have to tell me anything though, you always have the same answer."

"I didn't bring you on this ship so you could tell me I killed your mother!"I turned to face him. "Well I didn't ask to be on this ship, you forced me! And if you don't like me talking about it than why don't you take me back to my sisters?""Too far out at sea. But if you don't like being here would you rather be put in the brig?" he asked.

"Anything would be better than doing this every morning!" I yelled. "You force me onto a ship and whenever I have something to say you tear it down and tell me it didn't happen! Why don't you try and tell me that my parent's death didn't happen, tell me that all my sisters are still alive and everything's well!"

Jack grabbed my arm. "I never said they didn't happen, but I'm telling you I was not the one who killed your parents! Now get to work! You're lucky I didn't put you in the brig at first and just let you out when I needed you!"

"I wish you had put me in there! It'd be better than this!"

He pushed me into the rail and stalked off to his room where he slammed the door.

I sighed and leaned my back against the railing once more. Lucky he didn't put me in the brig my butt, I'd prefer being in there to being out here with him.

**After a long time the crew came above deck and Jack came out of his room, going to the wheel. **

I grabbed the mop and began to clean the decks again, they were showing some improvement. Annamaria came up to me as always and asked me about my night. I didn't tell her anything about what happened between me and Jack, too personal and I didn't think she knew about my suspicions of him.

When everyone left their posts for lunch Will and Gibbs came to my side and grabbed one of my arms each.

"Sorry about this," Will said as they led me down the stairs.

"Jack's orders," Gibbs told me. "Somethin' about ye sayin' ye'd rather be down there than here wit him."

I looked between the two of them and let them take me to where ever we were going. Then we came to a room with cages lined against the walls, it looked like a jail except worse kept.

"What?" I asked.

"Jack said you wanted to be put in the brig," Will said as he opened one of the doors.

Gibbs pushed me softly. "Well, in ye go."

I walked into the brig and Will locked the door behind me.

"Sorry," Will said and then he followed Gibbs up the stairs and out of sight.

I sighed and sat on the bench that was placed in the cell. Stupid Jack, putting me in here. I grumbled to myself and listened to the sounds of the crew talking and eating and laughing. I glared into the air, my stomach grumbling as I realized that I hadn't eaten anything since dinner the night before.

The day passed in darkness and soon I could hear the crew once again eating and talking, all congregated in the dining area. Slowly, the noise faded and I figured it was time to sleep. I laid on the bench and eyed the floor, it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in centuries.

Morning came and the only way to tell was through a small crack in the ship where I could see the sun had risen. Another nightmare woke me well before the sun rose, though. No one came down and still I went hungry, I was still in my work clothes and everything was very uncomfortable. The sleeping arrangements were slightly better than sleeping in a cave on rocks and at least there was no Jack to argue with.

I thought about what had happened yesterday morning and went over the fight in my head. Jack had said something about only bringing me out when he needed me, so there was a reason I was here. I was being used for something. Well, whatever it was I wouldn't help him with it no matter what he did. He had already taken everything I lived for.

The skies were still bright and clear and I thought about the saying 'the calm before the storm'. Jack had used it before and now I wondered if we were in for a big one. As the day wore on I stared out of that crack and watched as the sky darkened before the time. Big grey storm clouds rolled in from all sides it seemed and soon the sky was covered with grey clouds.

Overhead I could hear Jack shouting orders and the crew running about on the deck. Rain began to fall, hard with big drops. The water began to rock the ship and the waves got bigger and bigger. Before long water poured in from the crack that I used to see out of and I backed away from it. The noise from the crew was drowned out by the sound of the rain and thunder.

Footsteps fell on the stairs and Annamaria came through the doorway. Her feet sloshed on the ground, by that time the water had flooded about two inches of the floor, as she came toward me.

"How did you get locked up here?" she asked as she unlocked my cell door. Her hair was drenched and water ran from it down her back, though it didn't make much difference because the rest of her was just as soaked.

"A fight with the captain and a few misplaced words don't get you anywhere," I told her.

Annamaria laughed tightly and moved out of the way for me to get out. "I told you so," she said.

"Why'd you let me out?" I asked.

She looked at me for a moment. "If we sink I didn't want you to be sure of death," she said.

Then we took off, up the stairs and out into the cold, wet storm. The sky was black, as if it were night and I could hear Jack shouting orders to the crew. Everyone was running around as the ship tilted from side to side. Water was everywhere as we made our way through it all to find work to do or to hold onto something so we wouldn't fall off the ship.

"What's she doing up here?" I heard Jack yell.

I turned to see Jack a few feet away from me and Annamaria smiling sheepishly at him.

"I'll give you the same reason I gave her, if we sink I don't want her to have a sure death," Annamaria yelled back to him, though she was only a few feet away.

Jack threw his hands in the air and turned away. "I'm the captain if I say to put someone in the brig you don't go takin' them out without my permission!" he said furiously over the sound of the storm.

I could see him fighting to get back to the wheel of the ship where Will and Gibbs were trying to keep it steady. Jack's hat flew off as the wind changed directions again and I caught it, but he didn't have time to look for it. He was already at the wheel and had pushed both men out of the way so he could steer which looked effortless though he used two hands.

Annamaria pushed past me to grab onto a part of the ship for support and I did the same. We both watched hopelessly as the crew gradually quit trying to keep the Pearl steady. Then everyone watched as Jack stayed at the wheel, still clinging to his ship with a desperate hope for it to survive.

"If she breaks to pieces we'll have a chance," Gibbs was saying. "But if it sinks outright, we're as good as dead."

I shivered, but not from the cold. What Gibbs was saying was true, and it looked good that the ship would just sink. Suddenly the ship jerked to the right and I was thrown off the side of the ship along with about half of the crew.

"Try to stay above the water!" I heard someone yell from on deck.

"Get to land!" someone else called.

I swam with Cotton and Will away from the Pearl and out into sea with everyone else that had fallen. Finally we reached land and I passed out on the ground, wet, tired, and now all sandy.

**When I woke the others were already up and some were trying to figure out how to make a fire.**

"About time you woke up, I was beginning to think you died," Will said but as he spoke the word die his voice faded.

I looked around at the crew. "I thought more of us had gotten thrown overboard," I said.

Will nodded slightly. "Some of them didn't make it here," he whispered. "The others died sometime in the night."

I lowered my head to the dead pirates that I had known for however long. They may not have been perfect people, but they were good enough for me.

"How many are here?" I asked.

"All that you can see," Will answered.

I counted how many people were on the beach, Black-eye Blake and Stinky Joe were working on a fire and Cotton was sitting and watching the water. There were only five of us, including Will and myself. I stared away from the dead pirates, not wanting to see their faces.

"You think everyone else made it?" I asked. "I mean anyone who was able to stay on the ship?"Will stared at me for a moment. "I don't know. Knowing Jack they probably did survive, but he won't come looking for us unless he absolutely has to."

Finally a fire was started and we sat around it, staring off into space or gathering more wood. I was part of the group looking for wood, it wasn't really that hard there was trees everywhere. All alone I could think about my terrible luck. My sisters probably hated me more than anything and now I was stuck on an island that I'd most likely die on.

That night we slept on the beach and I stared up at the night sky and watched the stars and moon twinkling down at us. The fire had burned low and was just a dim glow when I drifted off to sleep at last.

The bright morning sun woke me the next day and already a fire was burning high. I stood next to Will as he worked on catching fish or something for us to eat. The sky was a bright blue as if it had forgotten the fierce storm of two nights ago. It surprised me to find that it really had been two days since the horrific storm.

"Think he'll come to get us?" I asked.

Will didn't need to ask who I was talking about. He sighed. "I can't tell you whether or not he will, maybe he won't be able to find us if he does."

"I don't want to die here," I said staring out at the sea.

Will nodded, his eyes far off in some other time where things had been different and I could tell he wished it would turn out okay this time too.

I walked away to sit next to Cotton, I'd always been somewhat afraid of him because of the whole tongue thing. He glanced at me and then stared back into the depths of the blazing fire, also somewhere else.

As the day turned to night again I stared off into the water, hoping to catch some glimpse of a ship headed our way. The moon shone bright overhead and the stars looked amazing and I sighed. I wished that I was a kid again, back in my house with my mother and father sitting in the next room speaking to one another in hushed tones about things that I didn't need to worry about. I missed the feeling of safety and the security in the sound of their voices and my father's stories.

The next day went by in much the same manner as the last and I was growing more and more anxious to get off the uninhabited island. Will caught fish, Joe collected firewood, Cotton boiled water, Blake looked for other sources of food, and I tried to learn all that I could about what the men were doing.

I walked with Joe as he picked up more wood for the fire. He didn't talk much, just told me what I needed to know and went back to finding good wood. "This is the best wood for making fires," he told me. "See the bark, it doesn't burn out too quick and it makes a huge fire."

I nodded and tried my best to remember the way the dead tree looked. I trailed behind him and picked up a few pieces of fallen wood. Nothing good was on my mind as thought about our condemned lifestyle. We wouldn't last long this way, that much I knew for sure. I hoped Jack would come back for us, if only to see if we had his hat.

We got back to the beach and laid the wood on the sand. Joe said I could take a break and I went to stand with Cotton, he was becoming one of my favorite people to be by because he didn't say much. By now his parrot had found its way back and it sat perched on the man's shoulder. I watched as he put a pot of sea water over the blazing fire. I sighed, I didn't want to stay on this island for the rest of my life with a bunch of quiet people.

That night as we sat around the fire and ate our fish we watched the open waters. No one said anything, but all of us were waiting for a ship to crop up over the horizon. And then, something was there. A small black dot way out in the sea. We all jumped up and tried to get a closer look at what was coming closer, or so we hoped. Everyone was crossing their fingers for it to be our captain and the crew we had all been a part of. There was only one thing that we didn't want, for the ship to be part of the navy. People who would kill us when they learned we were pirates.

But the ship didn't arrive that night.

**So the next morning we continued our jobs and I went with Joe to collect fire wood. While we were in the forest the ship came and we walked in on Jack speaking to Will.**

"And what happened to the others?" Jack asked, pacing with his hands behind his back.

Will looked to the ground. "They died the first day, or swimming to the island," he said.

Jack nodded, his eyes hard. "Come on, we're already behind and we have to make up the time it took for me to come and get you all."

"Why did you come get us?" Will asked.

Jack shrugged. "Why did you come and get me out of the locker?"

Will copied Jack, shrugging.

Joe and I pushed out of the trees and the two men looked to us.

"Sam!" Jack exclaimed.

I smiled out at him. "You came for us," I said.

He did a small bow and looked to Will. "I thought you said everyone else was dead."

Will looked slightly taken aback. "I forgot about them," he said.

Jack already moved on to his next subject. "Has anyone seen my hat?" he asked.

That reminded me, I did have his hat. I grabbed it and handed it to him and he smiled. "Thank you, Sammi," he said, placing it back on his head. "Now everyone back on the ship!"

We all scrambled back onto the Black Pearl to get back to work. Jack grabbed my elbow once we were on deck.

"Now do you want to stay out of the brig?" he asked.

I glared at him, the gratitude of him saving us already wearing off.

"Well?" he asked.

Grudgingly I answered, "No."

Jack smirked. "Good, cuz I need you on deck with so many of my crew dead."

I glared at him and went to find out if Annamaria was alive while he went to the wheel. It turned out she made it, along with Gibbs and most of the others. At least they weren't dead too.

"What can I help with?" I asked as Annamaria worked.

"Just help me with this please," she said.

I nodded and did as she asked and we were done. There was nothing for me to do because there was nothing for her to do. So we both sat below deck in the dining room, talking. "He came back for us," I said.

Annamaria nodded. "I thought we were gonna have to beg him to go back but he was the one screaming at us to find you all. He kept looking over the side of the ship to see if any bodies were thrown over the edge. It was so weird, I've never seen him act like that," she gossiped.

While she had been talking Gibbs sat down beside us. Now he nodded. "It was one of the strangest things I ever saw of him. Jack was yelling for everyone to find you all as though his life depended on it."

My eyebrows were furrowed in a look of confusion. "He really went looking for us? Why would he want to find us though? Everyone always said that he'd never come for us unless there was something he really needed. You think he needs us for something?"

Annamaria shook her head across from me. "I have no idea."

Gibbs sat deep in thought and said nothing.

I was left to my thoughts again and it was not something I liked at the moment. After so many days waiting quietly on a deserted beach you no longer want to be left to your own thoughts. But the room was silent and I was left to wonder why our captain had come back for his crew...That sounds odd. No one said anything for the longest time, only moving when dinner was ready.

After everyone had eaten everyone went back to the sleeping quarters. There weren't nearly as many crew members as before, they had fallen into the sea and couldn't find their way to land. I slept by Annamaria in my old hammock and listened to the snores of the remaining pirates. Of all the people, Gibbs had the loudest snore and I couldn't hear anything other then the annoying noise. I couldn't sleep, the past days had been terrible and yet relatively okay and then terrible again. I wanted to close my eyes and dream, but I was afraid of what I would dream while unconscious.

My breathing evened out as my eyes slowly closed and I fell asleep. Dreamland was everything I didn't want it to be and I rolled fitfully on the hammock. I whined in my sleep and cried out to nothing. _It was dark, there was no one around. As I desperately searched for someone, anyone, a I could hear a low rumble building. The darkness cleared and I found myself on the deck of the Black Pearl. The rumble turned to thunder and lightning flashed across the sky. Crew members rushed about the deck, slipping and sliding into the rails and off the side of the ship. My eyes scanned the chaos, searching for something, but what I didn't really know. My eyes landed on Jack, standing at the wheel of the ship, unaffected by the storm around us. He stood tall and proud as everyone fumbled about him. Jack's voice called out through the noise, carrying for all to hear and yet no one stopped at the sound. "You're lucky I didn't put you in the brig at first and just let you out when I needed you!" I looked to the captain but his lips never moved...Just let me out when he needed me. The ship lurched and I fell from the deck, into the dark waters below._

I woke, hitting the wood floor. My heart beat rapidly in my chest and I breathed quickly. The dream was almost real in the way that everything had actually happened except for the voice over the storm. I changed into better clothes and walked up the stairs to the deck, knowing that it wasn't the best idea with the last time I did that but not caring. I stood at the railing, leaning against it and letting my hair blow in the morning wind. The ship bobbed on the open waters and I stared at the blue waves.

"Up so early?" Jack's voice came from behind me.

I just stared out at sea. "Obviously."

"Something wrong Sammi?" he asked, leaning next to me.

I shook my head. "Nope." I figured one word answers would keep me from saying anything I would later regret.

"Oh? Because the last time we had this conversation it was about a dream and you accusing me."

I shrugged, not finding anything useful to say.

"That's it? No witty comeback?" he asked.

"No," I whispered. "The last time I made a witty comeback I got locked in the brig."

I saw Jack nod in the corner of my eye. "So you've learned?"

I shrugged again.

"You were brought onto this ship for a reason, Sammi. Do you remember that reason?"

"No."

Jack smirked. "To learn more about your sword. And guns."

I turned to face him.

"It's about time we got to doing just that," he said.

I watched him as he moved away from me and to the wheel as the crew came up the stairs. "We'll start tomorrow!" he called.

Annamaria stood by my side as the two of us began to work. "What was that about?" she asked.

"He's going to start to teach me how to use a sword better and a gun," I said.

"Oh," Annamaria said. "Do you like Jack?" she asked.

I gave her a funny look. "Do I like Jack?" I repeated.

Annamaria nodded.

"You asked me this before," I said. "And my answer is still the same, no. I don't like Jack. Not now, not ever."

She stared at me for a moment.

"Why do you ask?" I questioned. "Again."

Her eyebrows rose. "Well, it does look really odd when we all wake up and the two of you are alone on the deck, early in the morning."

"No, I don't like Jack," I told her.

We continued our work in silence, stopping for lunch and then getting right back to work. When dinner came around my hands were blistered and I couldn't wait to sleep, no matter what the dreams brought. As soon as I ate my food I went back down to the crew's quarters with Gibbs and Annamaria and laid down on my hammock. My eyes closed against the world and I fell into my first dreamless sleep in a long time.

I opened my eyes to the sound of the ship on the waves. The cabin was full of snores and sleep talking as I placed my feet on the floor. I got dressed and walked up to the deck, finding Jack waiting by the rail. He smirked when he saw me coming up the stairs.

"I knew you'd be up, luv," he said. "Now, time for your first lesson."

I followed his movements as he grabbed a sword. Looking closer, I saw that it was my sword that he pulled out. My eyes lit up at the sight of something familiar in this unfamiliar place.

"My sword!"

Jack smirked again. "Let's see what you can do," he said.

He handed me my sword and I took it, unsheathing the blade. Jack held out his sword to me and raised it to fight. We moved, just walking on the deck back and forth. Then Jack lunged, swinging his sword at me in the most practiced manner. I watched as the blade came down and moved out of the way, bringing my own sword up to shield my face. I pushed back against his sword and he let up, swinging again at my stomach. I jumped back and swung at him, trying to watch his every move. He was good, but so was I and it was an evenly matched fight. Every time he swung I jumped and whenever I lunged he would meet my blade. Soon the crew was up and they filed up to the deck, seeing me and the captain's fight. I swung and Jack ducked, moving his feet to try and trick me. I moved with him, ignoring the stares of the men and woman. I leaped into the air as Jack tried to cut at my legs. With one swift movement he overtook me, catching me off guard while I was in the air. He had won.

His sword at my neck, Jack smiled down at me smugly. "Good fight," he said.

He stuck his hand out for me to take and I gladly used it to help myself back to my feet. Around me the crew started to whisper to each other.

"You too," I said.

Jack smirked again. "By the time we're done you'll be able to keep fighting with me all night, beat anyone in the world, and hold down much more rum than you can imagine," he told me.

I laughed, happy to have used my sword to get out some of my frustration and anger. "Is that right?" I asked.

Jack nodded. "You'll have to find out, Sammi."

I rolled my eyes. "I told you to call me Sam. Sammi is not my name."

"I'm the captain and I'll call you whatever I want, now get to work," he said, snapping back to the annoying part of his personality.

I turned to leave and found Annamaria already sweating over a something to do with the ship. She looked up at me and then back down at her work.

"Hey," she panted.

"Can I help with anything?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Nope, I got it." With a grunt she looked back up at me and smiled pleasantly. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," I answered.

Annamaria's eyebrow went up. "Nothing?"

"Yep."

She laughed. "That's not what the crew'll think. Cuz it sure looked like something."

"Yeah, a sword fight," I said.

"Mmhm, that's what they'll think," she told me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked her, thoroughly confused.

Annamaria gave me an annoyed look, as though I were a child that she were explaining something simple to. "You and Jack, on deck, sword fighting. Not even real sword fighting, him helping and critiquing you. Jack never does that, for anyone. Oh, sure he'll tell you what you're doing wrong but he doesn't tell people how to do it right. Either you do it right or figure it out on your own, otherwise he doesn't really care to take time with you."

"So it was odd for him to do that with me then?" I clarified.

My friend nodded at me slowly. "It really looks like there's something going on between you two. And that isn't a good thing. He doesn't ever end relationships well and he doesn't stay in relationships at all."

"Then it's a good thing there's nothing going on between us," I said. "Because there's not."

Annamaria sighed. "I hope you're right, Sam. I genuinely hope that nothing is going on between the two of you and that you are as clueless as you say you are."

With that she turned and left me to stare at her back in wonder. How could she ever get the idea that something was 'going on' between me and Jack? I hated his guts. More than anything in the world I wished for bad things to happen to the man that killed my parents, let his people kill my sisters, and then kidnapped me and that man was Jack.

**I looked up at the wheel where Jack was still standing proudly and huffed, I didn't care about him at all I just wanted to go home. The crew was busy working and there was nothing for me to do so I looked at the floor, it was better kept than when I first came aboard at least. Of course it was better kept by me, but still it looked better either way. I stood at the rail and watched the water splashing up onto the sides of the ship, it was kind of interesting. **

"Whachya doin' Sam?" a familiar voice asked from behind me.

I turned to face the man and saw it was Joe from the island. I smiled at him, glad to have company. "Watchin' the water. What have you been doing?"

"Working on getting this ship to the next port for the captain, so that we can get more crew members," he said.

I nodded, I knew everyone was wanting to get to port so that the work would be laid off them some. "So what brought you over here?"

"Nothing. I wanted to see what you were doing, see how everything's been going since we got back," he said. "It's kinda weird isn't it? Being back on the ship after spending those days on a deserted island. It's a good weird, no complaining about that, it's just very different."

He was right, it was odd to be back on a ship after spending all that time alone with just four other people, and one couldn't even talk. "Yeah, I get what you're saying. It's really weird being back on a noisy ship after the quiet of the island. I don't know, but I don't think any of you snore."

Joe laughed. "You're right, there's a lot of snoring on the ship though."

I went to say something but Jack cut me off, almost appearing out of thin air.

"Joe, why are you not at your station?" he asked sternly.

Joe looked scared and stuttered his answer. "I-It didn't need tending to, Captain."

Jack raised his eyebrow and tilted his head toward where Joe was supposed to be. I followed his direction and saw a sail flapping in the breeze.

"Sorry Captain, it won't happen again," Joe said, rushing to his post.

I was almost sure that the sail wasn't like that a second ago, I turned back to Jack with an expression that said 'what do you want?". He ginned innocently at me from under his hat and I sighed.

"What do you want Jack?" I asked him.

"Nothing."

"Jack, you always want something."

He nodded. "You're learning," he approved.

"What is it?"

He shrugged and turned away, stalking back to the wheel where he always was.

As I stared after him I wondered why he had come over here and why he had done that to the sail. I was positive that it hadn't been like that when Jack left the wheel. Watching his back, my eyes narrowed. What was that man up to?

That night I laid on my hammock, slightly tired but thinking over the day. It was something I always did, go over the day before I went to sleep. I couldn't help it, it just always happened if I wanted it or not. My mind lingered on the parts where Annamaria tried to convince me not to see Jack even though I never was and then Jack coming between me and Joe. Then I thought about the sword fighting. It had been fun and it helped a lot with all the emotions that were building in me. Who would've thought that fighting would be my outlet? My thoughts turned to dreams and I fell asleep to yet another fitful night.

The next morning I woke long before everyone else, hearing them all snore in mismatched harmony. I groaned inwardly and changed into my clothes to walk back up to the deck, my eyes meeting the Jack's back.

"Morning," he said.

I nodded though he still had his back turned to me. "Morning."

I stood beside him, my hands on the rail. Jack turned to face me and started pulling out his sword.

"Ready for another round?" he asked.

I smirked and grabbed my sword too. "Oh yeah," I said.

We backed away from the edge of the ship and toward the middle of the deck, raising our swords. Jack took a step forward and I stepped back. It was on. Jack swung first and I met his sword. The fight had begun and it was the same as the day before. Jack would swing and I would duck, I would jab and he would block everything I did. There was no way either of us was backing down.

Before long the sun was up and the crew was on deck, watching the fight. Some even cheered this time. Finally I made my mistake, I went for his head and Jack took the opportunity to duck and push his sword into my stomach. As I jumped back he flung my blade from my hand, into the crowd of pirates. His sword touched my neck, signaling his win.

"Nice try, luv," Jack said.

He lowered his sword and put it back at his side as Joe handed me my own.

I was still smirking, though I knew I had lost. "Tomorrow," I panted.

"I'll be here," Jack agreed.

The crew dispersed and the captain stalked off to steer the ship.

"Good fight, Sam," Joe said as he stood at my side.

I nodded to him. "Thanks."

"Wanna help with the sails?" Joe asked.

I shrugged, I had nothing better to do. "Why not?"

Joe led the way and soon I was working alongside him.

"Sammi!" Jack called.

I sighed, this was getting really annoying. "What do you want Jack?"

"That's Captain Jack, luv," he corrected.

"Captain. What do you want?"

"What are you doing over there?"

My eyebrows raised. "Helping out. What was I supposed to be doing, Captain?"

Jack stopped for a moment. "Being somewhere else," he answered.

I wanted to laugh. "And where would I be if I wasn't helping out over there?"

"Mopping the deck."

"Oh no, I'm not doing that again," I said.

That was the wrong thing to say. "Yes you are," Jack said.

"I can do more than mop a deck. I've lived on the streets my whole life I'll do anything else."

"I think I'd like you to mop the deck though. And I'm the captain and-"

I rolled my eyes and cut him off. "-what I say goes."

Jack smirked. "Got that right, luv. Now get to work."

My shoulders sagged, I was better than just cleaning the deck. I went to the closet anyway and got the supplies needed to clean the floor. I didn't see the point in this, all it would do is make the crew go sliding when the stepped on a wet patch.

I kept working until dinner when I was free to eat, drink, and talk as much as I liked. Without the captain watching my every move. I was worried that Annamaria would bring up Jack and I again but thankfully she didn't. Just as I was getting into a conversation with Gibbs a certain captain steered me away.

"Jack, I was talking," I whined.

"That's Captain, Sammi, and I don't care if you were talking," Jack said.

He led me back up the stairs and on deck.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"We are going to practice your swordsmanship.""I thought we were doing that tomorrow."

He smirked. "We fight tomorrow, but tonight we'll practice."

"What'll that do?" I asked.

"How're you gonna get better if you don't practice?" Jack asked back.

"Fight you?" I guessed.

"Guess again."I sighed. "Fine, fine. We practice."

Jack nodded. Then he slipped on the deck and fell.

I stared down at Jack as he laid there, stunned. Then I burst out laughing.

"If you don't stop laughing..." Jack threatened. "Why are the floors soaked?"

That only made me laugh harder. "Your fault."

He glared at me. "This is my fault? How is this my fault?"

"You made me mop the deck and now it is wet," I explained.

Jack grabbed my arm and pulled me back down the stairs and into a spare room. It was bigger than most and was fairly open.

"We'll practice down here," he growled.

I grinned.

Jack pulled out his sword and I took out mine once more. This was something I could get used to.

"Now, we're going slow. Focus on how you're moving and what I'm doing," Jack said, his voice suddenly calm.

We practiced. It reminded me of when Silas had me practice for his fights, I liked the familiarity.

"You're doing it wrong, Sammi," Jack said again.

I sighed, "Everyone's asleep, why do we have to keep this up?"

"You're still doing it wrong," Jack said.

I groaned but Jack made me do it again.

After we had practiced over and over again Jack let me stop and we went to bed. I laid in my hammock as I had so many nights before but tonight I fell asleep faster than I ever had before. No dreams disturbed me and if they did I didn't remember them in the morning.

**When I woke up I was refreshed. I quickly changed and made my way up to the deck, catching sight of Jack right away. He was waiting for me this time, a smirk planted on his face.**

"Round three," I muttered, a sparkle in my eye.

Jack nodded. "And we fight."

We were off, just like any other day and I was holding my own just like any other day. But I noticed a difference, it was easier to fight now. Was it because Jack actually taught me something the night before? That was an odd thought but I kept fighting anyway. I knew more about my footing and I was watching when he went to strike at my head. I blocked his every move and he returned with even more force.

The crew came on the deck and watched just like before. Jack struck hard and I grinned as I stepped out of the way instead of blocking. This fight was longer than any of the others and still Jack won. He moved his foot behind me when I wasn't paying attention and caused me to fall on my back, my sword flying from my hand.

"I win," Jack said simply.

He handed me my sword and I stood, putting it back at my side.

"Good fight, Sammi," he said.

"You too Captain," I still sneered at the Captain part.

Jack looked around at the crew, who were standing around and watching us.

"Get to work!" he yelled and the crew disappeared to their posts.

I raised my eyebrows. "So do you want me to mop the floors again?"

Jack glared at me. "Go help Annamaria with something. Clean decks are dangerous."

I laughed as Jack mumbled to himself and walked up to the helm. Then I went to find the only other girl on the ship so I could start doing something at least semi-useful on the ship.

The day wore on and finally the crew went off to eat dinner. I talked with Gibbs as I walked, picking up on the conversation Jack had interrupted the night before. Soon I was listening to Gibbs tell a story about one of the many times he and Jack had gotten into trouble and had just barely escaped.

"Gibbs, my good man. I'm going to have to take Sammi here away," Jack interrupted again.

Gibbs nodded and left me to Jack, turning to talk to another pirate.

"Jack, why must you always need me when I'm talking to someone?" I asked.

"That's Captain, luv," Jack corrected.

I rolled my eyes. "Didn't answer my question, _Captain_.""What was it again?" he asked.

I sighed but didn't answer, it wasn't worth it.

Jack led me to the room we practiced in the night before. "Ready?" he asked.

I nodded my head slightly and unsheathed my sword.

"Watch my every move. Pirates don't fight with rules, they're ruthless and they fight with anything they have in them," Jack said.

I nodded.

"I have a gun, you don't. You might want to get that away from me," Jack said.

Now I worked to disarm him from his pistol and tried to keep his blade off of my skin. I wanted to win against him when we fought next and I focused all my attention on Jack and his sword.

"No, no. Sammi, you have to watch everything. You left yourself wide open for attack on that side," Jack said.

I sighed, I was so tired. "Please Jack. Can't we just go to sleep? We can do this tomorrow night can't we?"

"And if we get attacked sometime tomorrow before we come to practice?" he asked.

"Then I'll be awake to fight them," I answered. "Please, let's just give it a rest."

"One more time," Jack said.

"Fine."

Finally Jack let me go to the crew quarters. I crawled into my hammock and curled up on my side. At least all the practice let me sleep easily. I didn't dream that night of anything and I was able to rest for the second night in a row.

**When morning came around I found myself in an amazing mood. Not even the loud snores of the crew bothered me anymore. I changed my clothes and walked up to the deck, finding Jack waiting for me.**

He was smirking again. "Morning, luv."

"Good morning Jack," I said.

He tilted his head and I sighed.

"Captain Jack."

"You ready to fight?" Jack asked.

I unsheathed my sword and grinned, my eyes already assessing how much of a challenge this would be.

"Don't get overly arrogant, luv. It makes you look very ugly," Jack told me.

I faked that it hurt. "You really think I'm ugly Captain? And I was beginning to think that you might actually be somewhat kind."

"Just don't get arrogant and you won't seem ugly."

"I'll remember that," I said.

We fought, our blades connecting and then moving to strike again. I was better, again. Now I knew that Jack was teaching me things when we practiced. Though I didn't want to admit it, Jack was a really good teacher.

"You're getting better," Jack huffed.

"Thanks," was all I could get out.

The crew was above deck. They were cheering for who they thought would win, which was mainly a chorus of 'Go Jacks'. I wanted to beat him so bad. But it was the fact that I wanted to win that much that caused me to loose. Again I wound up on my back, laying on the deck of the Pearl and Jack's sword at my neck. He smirked down at me.

"Better," he said.

Nothing could upset me and I grinned back at him, though I knew I lost again."Thank you. Now what would you like me to do, Captain?" I asked.

"Go help Gibbs or William or Annamaria," he answered.

I nodded and walked off, going to find one of the three people he had listed. I found Will first and I spent the day with him, talking and mostly working hard to do what was asked of me. After dinner I found Jack and the two of us walked to the room where we practiced our swords.

"Don't do that," Jack said as I did yet another thing wrong.

I sighed. "Jack, what did I do wrong this time?"

"You're swinging too early, leaving open spaces. I could easily kill you if you kept that up in a real fight."

"Like this?" I asked.

"Better."

When we were done I wasn't as tired as I was on other nights. As I laid on my hammock listening to the snores of so many pirates I realized that I no longer hated the sound. And when I thought of the evening spent with Jack I found that I didn't think of him with hate anymore. I thought of him with a kind of awe instead of despising him like I should have. I fell asleep quickly and soon morning had come once more.

**I got up and changed, walking up the stairs and thinking over some of the moves and tactics I could use against Jack. Once on the deck I saw the Captain was waiting for me. This really was becoming a habit for us. **

"Morning luv," he said.

"Good morning Jack."

He didn't protest that I called him plain Jack.

Without warning we were battling. By now I knew that practicing every night really was helping me and as we fought I knew that Jack wasn't going to win as easy as he had the night before. Soon the crew came on deck and I heard a few making bets about who would win and when. Most bets were placed on Jack but I didn't mind, I was used to being the underdog in these fights. I knew that someday I would come out on top and amaze them all.

After a while both of us were still going strong, neither willing to back down.

"Tired yet, Sammi?" Jack asked between swings.

I smirked, "Only in your dreams Sparrow."

Jack grinned and we continued our battle as the crew watched in awe that we were still fighting. Now their voices were only whispers in the back of my mind and I could barely hear them over the beating of my own heart. Over an hour later we were still locked in our fight.

"How about we call this one a draw," Jack huffed.

"Yes please," I panted.

We both stopped moving and our swords lowered. Sweat fell off of us as we tried to catch our breath.

"Great fight," Annamaria congratulated.

"Thank you, Anna," Jack said.

She rolled her eyes. "I already knew you could fight like that. I was talking to Sam."

"Thanks," I said.

Annamaria nodded.

"Alright, everyone get to work!" Jack yelled. "We have a lot of time to make up!"

"Where are we headed anyway?" I asked.

Jack turned to me with a glint in his eye. "Tortuga."

"Tortuga?" I asked.

Jack simply smiled and walked up to steer his ship.

I looked at Annamaria. "Tortuga?"

She shook her head. "A pirate port. Tons of rum and other things...You might want to stay on the ship when we get there."

I was about to protest but she turned and stalked off to do her chores and help with the sails.

"You gonna help me?" she called over her shoulder.

Sighing, I followed behind her.

The day passed quickly and I sat eating dinner with the guys.

"You did great out there, Sam," Joe was saying.

I smiled. "Thanks."

"You did great-you did great," Cotton's parrot squeaked.

I nodded. "Thank you."

"Sammi, time for practice," Jack called.

I rolled my eyes but got up and followed Jack back to the room.

We practiced well into the night and I learned the last that Jack had to teach me. Or so I thought. As it turned out we still had knives to learn and guns as well, Jack told me at the end of practice.

"You did excellent," he said, still out of breath. "But now you need to learn about other things, what happens if you lose your sword in battle? Then what? No, you need to be able to use more than just a sword."

"Same place, same time tomorrow?" I asked as I put my sword away.

Jack nodded. "Aye, we'll be starting knives."

"I'll be ready," I said.

Jack smirked. "No you won't."

I shrugged. "I'll be ready to work just as hard."

"Good."

With that we parted and I made my way to my hammock to get a good night's sleep again. No dreams plagued my thoughts and I knew that I was beginning to feel better than I had in a long time now that I was on the Pearl.

**The morning came and I woke with a grin. Maybe today would be the day that I would beat Jack in battle. I got up and got ready for the day, putting my sword on my hip where it belonged.**

I walked onto the deck where Jack stood with his back to the rail, humming something.

"Morning, luv," he greeted.

"Good morning Jack," I said.

We both unsheathed our blades and got ready to duel. Getting into stance, I analyzed all of my opponent's movements. Jack was no longer Jack in my eyes but a deadly pirate set on killing me. Then we fought. It was tiresome and long, yet we fought hard. I didn't notice when the crew came aboard deck and circled around us and I didn't hear them placing bets for me to win either (of course only Annamaria and Will were betting for me, but they're good enough).

"Getting tired yet, luv?" Jack taunted between breaths.

"Nope, you Sparrow?" I asked.

"Not a chance, luv."

Jack swung dangerously and I ducked out of the way, moving on the wooden floor. I wanted to win, but that was at the back of my mind. What I really wanted was not to be beaten, beaten in real battle meant that I was dead and that was not the way I wanted this all to end.

I felt my sword push back on the captain's hand and watched as his blade fell from his grasp. It clattered on the floor of the deck loudly and seemed to echo in the new-found silence. My hand moved of its own accord to place my sword at his neck to signal my win. Suddenly Jack smirked and pulled his gun from his waist.

"Good-fight, luv, but I win," Jack said, breaking the endless quiet.

My soaring emotions seemed to plummet to my stomach. "No way, you cheated," I said.

"Pirate," he told me.

I groaned and lowered my sword. I knew I had won and so did Jack, he was just always so infuriating about everything.

Jack looked around at the crew, which stood silently as they waited to see what their captain would do.

"Get to work, the lot of ya!" he yelled.

The pirates shuffled awkwardly to their posts and whispered amongst each other about what they had witnessed. The great Jack Sparrow had lost a sword fight, he won in the end by cheating but that wasn't what mattered in that moment. I had a feeling they'd never seen Jack lose.

"Great fight, Sammi," Jack said. "Really it was."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'll win eventually and I don't want to hear you tell me 'good fight' unless I earn it completely."

"You let Anna tell you good fight," Jack argued.

"She's different."

"How so?" Jack asked.

"She's not my coach and she can't beat you in a sword fight or anywhere close as I can."

"Whatever you say, Sammi. Go find something useful to do."

Jack turned and staggered his way up to the wheel, staring out at the blue sea.

I followed his example and went to find one of my friends to work with for the day. All of this pirate life was growing on me, I wasn't dreading any part of it anymore. Well, maybe going to port, but that was a different story all together.

We worked hard until dinner when we all went down to indulge in rum, food, and conversation. I sat with Gibbs as he told another of his stories about Captain Jack Sparrow. He seemed to enjoy the fact that I was listening to what he said, though he was well into his drunken state.

"Sammi!" I heard Jack call.

I left Gibbs to walk with the captain. Tonight we would start a whole new way of fighting.

When we were in the room Jack pulled out a knife from his boot. He held it between his hands and showed it to me.

"This is a knife," he told me.

"Jack, I know what a knife is," I sighed.

Jack nodded. "Of course you do, luv. Just getting you used to everything about the art of knives."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him.

"Now, this is only used for close hand combat. You won't want to use it if you're too far away, then you'd use your gun."

I watched and listened as Jack described the many ways to use a knife and what you would use in what situation. It may have been slightly boring but I ignored the boredom and focused on the lesson, it was bound to be important if Jack was telling me about it.

Jack talked well into the night about the use of knives and such and I could feel myself falling asleep as I listened to his interesting voice. When he sighed I looked up at him.

"You're not listening to a word I say, are you?" he asked.

"Sorry, Jack," I apologized. "I'm just so tired."

Jack laughed lightly. "Go to bed, Sammi. We'll continue this tomorrow."

I got up and thanked Jack for the lesson, before heading to the crew's quarters to sleep the night away. As I slept I had a strange dream about fighting and I woke in an odd daze, not at all like I had been expecting.

**I got dressed like I normally did and made my way to the deck where Jack was waiting. **

"Morning, Sammi," Jack said.

I smiled. "Morning Jack."

"Ready to fight, luv?" Jack asked.

"Of course."

We started to fight just like we did every morning. The fight was just like any other, but this time I heard more people saying my name instead of the usual two. Our swords met in the air, clashing loudly. Some time later Jack called a tie.

The crowd of pirates dispersed quickly after the fight was over.

"You did good," Jack said.

"Thanks."

I left to go find work to do and finally stopped with Joe.

"You're really good at fighting," Joe told me.

"Thank you," I said.

We continued working in silence.

"Not many people can beat the Captain," he said.

"I didn't beat him though."

Joe shook his head. "No, but not many people can even come close. You made him call a tie."I smiled. "If we would've kept fighting Jack would've eventually won."

"Still, there's not many who can hold their own that long."

"Well there's not many who have Jack as their teacher either," I said.

Joe nodded. "I guess that's true."

Our conversation ended there for a while as we worked on the sails.

"So, you're not like seeing Jack are you?" Joe asked after a moment.

I looked at him. "Of course not. Why would you ask that?"

"Well-""Come on, lunch's getting cold!" Gibbs interrupted, moving around me to get to the galley.

I rolled my eyes but followed the man down to get my food, leaving Joe to stand there alone."Hey," I greeted, sitting next to Annamaria.

"Hey, before long you'll be beating old Jack Sparrow in a sword fight," Anna laughed.

"She couldn't beat me if her life depended on it, luv," Jack said.

I looked up to find the captain reaching to get an apple. He smiled down at me and I laughed.

"Right, Sammi," he said.

I sighed but said with a smirk, "I couldn't beat Jack Sparrow in a sword fight."

Jack nodded.

"Not a pirate sword fight anyway. If we were talking a fair fight, I would most definitely win," I said.

Jack looked at me. "You could not!" he stated.

"I think I could, after all you did call a tie today when there really was no reason. I think that you just don't want to be beat in front of your crew."Jack scoffed. "If you want to test that theory, luv, we can arrange a fight."

"It would have to be fair, Jack Sparrow. No knives, or pistols with only one shot," I told him.

"Of course not, luv. It will be only swords and our hands," Jack agreed.

"Gibbs would have to ref the fight," I said.

"And why is that?" Jack asked.

"You would cheat and try to trick me into thinking that you didn't," I said.

Jack grinned. "You know me so well."

"I'll see you after dinner," I said.

"This time on deck," Jack told me.

"Of course."

With that Jack walked off with an apple in his hand, going to talk to Gibbs. I turned back to Annamaria, a smirk still planted on my face.

"That was interesting to watch," she said.

I laughed. "I just agreed to fight my captain in a completely fair fight on a pirate ship!"

My friend laughed with me as we finished our lunch and made our way back up to the deck. While we worked we talked about random things with subjects that I wasn't sure how they got started. When the day was done I walked back to the galley with the rest of the crew.

"You ready for that fight, Sam?" Gibbs asked as he sat down beside me.

"I wouldn't have challenged him if I wasn't.""What fight?" Will asked as he took the seat on the opposite side of the table.

Gibbs looked at him. "Jack and Sam are going to fight."

"Like they do every morning?" Will asked.

Gibbs shook his head. "Nope, this time Jack's gonna be fair about fighting."

Will raised his eyebrow, it was really absurd for the captain to be fair about anything. "What happens if he loses?""What do you mean what happens?" I asked.

"Well, I mean does anything happen? Are there any stakes to this?" Will questioned.

Gibbs sighed and Annamaria put her head in her hands.

"There wasn't," I said.

"Wasn't what?" Jack asked.

"Perfect timing," I said, turning to face him. "What do I get when I win this fight?"

Jack smirked. "_If _you win the fight you will get whatever you ask for. But when I win you will have to spend all night mopping the decks, making sure they're dry when you're done."

"You're going to make me mop the decks?" I asked.

Jack nodded. "What do you want in return?"

"I want...Hm, I'm not sure yet, I'll get back to on that one," I said.

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Fine, but you're going to lose Sammi."

"Whatever you say Jack, just keep telling yourself that," I told him, nodding.

He chuckled to himself. "I came over to tell you that it's about time we got on deck.""Alright, I'll be there in a minute," I said.

Jack left and I turned to my friends who were staring at me.

"Well? Let's go beat Jack," I said.

My friends smiled and we made our way back onto the deck for the fight that would be completely fair.

**Jack was waiting for us all on the deck, his sword in his hand. He smirked as he saw us walking up the steps, actually it was more like saw me walking up the steps but still. I was level-headed for the moment, I knew that Jack was overconfident that he would win and that was what I would attempt to use as his downfall. All the while he was probably expecting it.**

"Ready to lose, Sammi?" Jack asked as I stepped up to him.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you Jack?"

My captain grinned with a glint in his eye that told me he had something up his sleeve.

"You didn't bribe Gibbs to let you cheat, did you?" I asked.

"No, of course not. How could you think something like that of me?""Pirate," was the only thing I said.

Jack nodded. "Eh, yeah that would do it."

We both took out our swords in the same instant as Gibbs stepped up to tell us the rules once again. By this time most of the crew had heard about the fight and were sitting a ways back from where we were so they wouldn't get in the way. They were whispering to each other as I listened to Gibbs's voice telling us how to fight.

"Go!" he shouted.

The fight was on once more, this time I knew that there would be no surprise attacks. Jack and I studied each other for a moment, opponents in an ongoing war. He was looking for a way to break me quickly, I was looking for a way to steadily break him down. It was only a second, but if felt like an eternity. The next second we were fighting, our blades clashing loudly as they met between us. I smirked at Jack through the swords and he just smirked back.

Our swords came apart and Jack swung at me. I moved back and out of the way, knowing this was the best defense with Jack at the moment. He followed me as I moved backward, his sword coming at me from odd angles. I blocked and swung at him at the same time, we were perfectly matched opponents. I jumped and blocked and moved out of the way, dunking when I had to as Jack did the same with everything I did. We had made it around the deck many times and still we didn't seem to get anywhere with the fighting. Neither one of us was winning, it was still evenly matched.

Even though there was no winning person, we were both getting tired from the battle. I backed up to the railing and then moved to the right as Jack struck his boat where my arm had been moments before. Then I proceeded to back him into the mast where he tried to duck and roll out of the way. It would've worked if he hadn't have told me about the trick beforehand.

I kicked him in the back as he jumped to his feet and he stumbled forward. When he turned I swung up at him and he blocked yet again. It was a difficult task of beating Jack Sparrow at his own game. The fight continued for over an hour as we fought just to see who would win.

Well into the night and still we fought. The crew watched from the sides, moving when they had to. They drank rum and laughed and had a good time as they waited to see who would be the best at sword fighting.

Jack's blade came down in an attempt to make me drop my sword but I used his own weight against him, just like he had taught me. I was trained by the best to beat him in his own game. It was an odd concept that I didn't fully realize until we were too far into the battle to do anything. My arm was sore and the rest of my body ached. My feet were numb and my brain felt like mush. Jack looked like he was about to fall over, which was the exact way I was feeling. And even though we both seemed to be dead on our feet neither of us was willing to give in.

The ship swayed on the water and I moved my feet accordingly. It was like I could have fought this fight in my sleep. Jack never did anything that broke the rules and Gibbs watched with an ever tiring eye. Some of the men had left to get some sleep, others had fallen asleep on the deck. Most of the noise was now gone and those who still watched were quiet, letting their eyes droop.

Jack swung and I blocked it, just like always. It was a fight that no one could win because we were completely evenly matched even when we were both tired beyond belief. The night wore on and we still didn't back down, the sun was coming up over the water and the sky was now turning red and pink. But I couldn't pay attention to that, if I did I was going to lose. By the time the sun was fully up, neither of us had won and the crew was beginning to awaken.

"They're still fighting?" I heard someone ask.

I didn't try to figure out who it was or listen for the answer. My attention was waning as it was and I had to pay attention solely to Jack Sparrow. I swung and he ducked and I sighed. It was a never ending battle between the two of us. I heard Gibbs give a start and I assumed he had fallen asleep sometime during the night, though me and Jack never knew.

"I can't believe they're still going like that," someone said.

I wanted to fall over and die right there, but then I would have to give in to Jack. I wanted more than anything to call a tie, but it would seem like a forfeit if I did and I wasn't letting that happen any time soon.

"Hey!" someone yelled. "Stop fighting!"

I didn't listen to them and neither did Jack, we were too caught up to stop.

Suddenly Gibbs stepped between us and our swords stopped moving so we didn't slice open our friend.

"I say that it's a tie," Gibbs said.

Jack and I stared at him for a moment and then lowered our blades. "Can I go to sleep now?" I asked.

Jack nodded beside me. "Everybody, today's one day where there's no work. Take a day off!" he yelled.

I sighed and moved to leave the deck to locate my wonderful hammock somewhere below me.

"Good-night!" I hollered to everyone still on deck. I made my way to my bed and was asleep before my head hit the hammock.

**When I woke again it was late afternoon and Jack was still tucked away in his room. I felt refreshed and ready to go, just as long as I didn't have to start sword fighting again. Many of the men congratulated me for staying in there as long as I did and I was happy to accept the praise. **

"That was one good fight," Annamaria told me as we lounged on the deck.

I smiled blissfully. "Thanks, I never want to do that again."My friend laughed and closed her eyes. "This is nice, we don't get free days very often."

"Well, maybe I should challenge Jack more often," I said.

Annamaria nodded. "Maybe you should, but you didn't win the fight. Are you getting anything for it?"I shook my head. "I don't think so, I hope Jack doesn't get anything either though."

We sat there for the rest of the day, just sitting there and watched the sun and the water. The guys played cards and drank as me and Annamaria sat back and watched them. Jack didn't show his face until the sun was going down, but that didn't stop him from getting right into the mix of things and drinking more than his fair share of rum. As we watched I picked up some things about the games the men played, how they constantly cheated when they gambled and I learned how to play the games.

That night we drank rum until we wanted nothing more than to lay back down and go to sleep. I was sitting next to Joe in the galley, watching another game of poker played by Joe, Gibbs, and Cotton. Will stood in the corner, watching everyone with wary eyes and I smiled over at him. He smiled back and then returned to studying the scene before him. I turned back to the game, laughing with the guys as if it was a regular thing.

"You did great at that fight, Sam," Joe told me.

I smiled at him too, "Thanks, Joe."

He was slightly drunk and he laughed, slurring his words together. "No one ever beats Jack in a fight," he said.

"I didn't beat him, we tied. But thanks anyway," I told him.

Joe nodded to me and looked back at his game drunkenly, laughing with Gibbs about nothing in particular. I rolled my eyes at him, but smirked anyway.

"What are you doing over here?" someone asked me from behind.

I turned around to face Jack, who was looking down at the poker game with slight interest. "I was just talking with Joe, watching the game. What are you doing?" I asked.

"A little of this, a little of that," Jack answered.

"Sounds good."

"Yep, very," Jack said.

Gibbs yelled loudly at something Cotton's parrot said and I chuckled at him.

"Good fight you put up," Jack told me.

"Same to you," I replied.

He raised an eyebrow. "I could have beaten you if I really wanted," he informed me.

"Oh really?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, but I just didn't want to let you down in the first few minutes. You're so predictable."

"And you're not?" I asked.

"You think I am?"

I nodded. "I know you are.""I think you have something mixed up, luv," Jack said.

I tilted my head to the side. "And what would that be, Jack?"

"You've mixed up who's the predictable one. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

This made me laugh. "What's that got to do with anything?" I asked.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, that means that no one knows what I'm gonna do next," Jack told me.

"Sure," I said.

Jack rolled his eyes. "You're really annoying. Did I ever tell you that, luv?"I laughed. "I don't think you did. But that last comment was oh so flattering."

Jack shrugged. "I never claimed to be flattering and all that."

"I guess you got that one right."

We sat together and looked back at the poker game. Gibbs had lost most of his money, a lot of it going to Cotton, but Joe seemed to be doing well too. I shook my head at the way the men played, cheating and shouting obscene words every now and then, calling names and laughing together a few seconds later. The main thing the men had in common was the way every man always seemed to have a new, full bottle of rum in their hands.

Finally Gibbs lost his money and was out of the game, shouting loudly about some cheating fools in the process and then yelling about some old superstition. I laughed at him, but not so much that he would notice and get mad at me. At my side I could see Jack chuckling to himself as well.

"I'm tired, I think this is where I leave you," I said as I rose from my seat.

The guys simply nodded in response and I made my way to the crew's quarters, to my own hammock. Now I would get some much needed sleep. I smiled to myself as I laid in bed, today had been a good day, no matter what anyone else thought.

**When the sun rose** and I woke it was early morning and there were loud snores coming from some of the hammocks. Others didn't have anybody in them, but I knew that didn't mean they were awake, they were probably asleep in the galley or on the deck. I got dressed and walked from the quarters to the deck where Jack was pacing. Just as I knew they would, many men were strewn about the deck, still completely passed out.

"Morning," I greeted Jack.

He turned to face me. "Good morning Sammi," he said.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Pacing, thinking," Jack told me.

I nodded. "Cool," I said.

Jack shook his head at me, rolling his eyes.

I shrugged and walked along the deck to the railing. The water still seemed to last forever and so did the sky, where one ended the other picked up. A small smile was planted on my face and I watched the waves gently roll up to the ship and make it sway with the sea.

"What are you smiling about?" Jack asked.

I turned to face him and shrugged. "The sky, the sea, everything."

Jack said nothing and looked out to the water where I was facing a moment ago.

The two of us were silent for a while, I found it nice, refreshing almost. My eyes slid over to look at Jack and I saw that he really was quite handsome. I wanted to talk to him, but I didn't want to ruin the perfect silence. Staring over at him, I noticed his clothes again. He was wearing just about the same outfit he had on the day I met him, a big white shirt with a vest over it and brown pants that went to his boots. His hair was in its bandana and tri-corner hat, the usual trinkets clinking together in odd harmony.**Jack's POV**

Jack watched Sam out of the corner of his eye. She really was pretty, even if she was dressed in men's clothes and hadn't washed decently in months. For some reason he couldn't seem to stop looking at her. He noticed the way she had a small smile on her lips even though there really was nothing for her to smile about.

Suddenly he realized what he was thinking. Jack shook his head and looked out at the sea. That was his only love, the sea and not some crazy girl. But there was something about _this_ girl. She was pretty and nice and could hold her own in a fight. She liked to learn new things and did what was best for those she cared about, when she knew how. Sammi was something completely different than other girls he'd met, she fought with him and spoke when she wanted. And she never thought twice about doing the men's things as well as women's.

The waves came up to the ship as Jack watched. Another thing, she had a love for the sea and the ship that he had never seen in a woman. Even Annamaria didn't think about the sea in the way that Sammi did. He chuckled to himself as he thought about her nickname, how she hated it and still she didn't complain anymore. This train of thought led to dangerous thoughts, though.

Jack knew Sam thought he was the one in the room when her parents died. She was sure that he had killed her mother at knife point. He wanted to make her think otherwise, but he didn't know how. What would he say when all he could had already been said? Every one of his excuses had been shot down and denied until he was forced to put her in the brig. That led to her being thrown overboard in a storm.

Jack hated thinking what could have happened to Sammi when she was thrown over the ship. He had searched every island as soon as the storm was over to find them, but more than anything her. And then when he got there and Will had said what he saw was what he got and she wasn't there, his heart stopped. Then she came out of no where and he realized that she was alive. He had been so relieved to find that she was still alive after all of that.

Sammi turned to face him and Jack looked at her.

"So what are we doing today Jack?" she asked.

His eyes looked out at the sea and then he looked at her. "We'll set sail as soon as the men are up. If we continue at a normal rate, we should get to Tortuga in a few day's time."

Sammi nodded and Jack watched her hair sway around her face before she batted it out of her eyes, it was cute.

Suddenly he shook his head. He couldn't be thinking about her in any way that he wouldn't think of Annamaria. No, better than that, any way that he wouldn't think of Gibbs. Jack shuddered. He would think of her the way he thought of Gibbs or William.

Jack nodded to himself and Sammi gave him a weird look.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

"Thinking of what we need when we get to Tortuga," he answered smoothly.

Sammi shook her head at him, but said nothing more and left Jack to sigh in relief.

That was when the rest of the crew came on deck, getting to work after seeing that Jack and Sammi weren't fighting. Sammi turned to face him once more.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

He looked around. "Go help out Annamaria," Jack told her.

Then he stalked off to the helm to steer the Pearl. When he glanced down again he saw Joe was back by Sammi, and not where he was supposed to be. Jack felt a flash of anger go through him as he watched the pirate talk to Sammi. He didn't like it at all. Moving from the wheel he made his way toward them.

"Why are you not working?" Jack asked in a deadly voice as he neared the two.

Joe spun around and Sammi looked up.

"I was just talking to Sam," Joe answered, seemingly oblivious to his captain's rage.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "And why aren't you working?"

Joe looked at him for a moment and seemed to take in Jack's anger. "Sorry Captain. I'm going back right now."

Joe ran off to where he was supposed to be and Jack turned back to Sam.

"What's with the anger?" she asked with a smirk.

"Get to work," Jack growled and stalked back to the helm.

He was beyond mad. Why couldn't she just stay away from the pirates? Why couldn't she just keep to herself and stay by Annamaria like she did right after he brought her on the ship.

Jack focused on the sea and let himself calm down, looking back to where Sammi was. She was standing by Annamaria now, laughing about something. Now he was completely calm again, smiling slightly to himself before wiping it off his face in annoyance.

He needed to remember, think of her like he would think of Gibbs. She could talk to Joe, Gibbs did. Jack breathed deeply and closed his eyes, opening them when he heard the rush of people moving on the deck. Looking around, Jack saw that everyone was going down for lunch and he moved away from the wheel.

"What's goin' on with you Capn'," Gibbs asked, coming to walk beside Jack.

He looked over. "What are you talking about?"

Gibbs's eyes slid over to where Sammi was walking ahead of them. "I think you know what I'm talkin' bout."

"There's nothing going on with me and I want you to stop thinking that there is. I was simply getting my crew to keep working."

Gibbs nodded. "I'm sure you were," he said.

Gibbs walked off and went to get something to eat as Jack grabbed an apple off the table. He leaned against the wall and watched everyone sit around and talk, Sammi doing the same.

_"What are you doing, Jack?" someone asked._

Jack looked around and spotted himself cleaning out under his fingernails.

_"I asked you what you were doing," the other Jack said._

Jack walked out of the room and into another, the one where he normally taught Sammi.

"I'm not doing anything," he answered.

_"Are you sure about that Jackie?" another him asked. _

This one was scratching his head, looking around.

_"Where's my peanut?" he asked._

_"What were you doing?" the first Jack asked._

"I wasn't doing anything!" Jack yelled.

_"I think you were. You were looking at that girl," Jack said._

Jack looked between the two of him. "I wasn't doing that!"

_Suddenly there was another Jack, this one looking like it had just come out of the sea. "I think you were Jack, I think you like her more than you should."_

Jack shook his head at the three hims. "I don't like her!" he shouted.

He closed his eyes and then opened them again. No one was there.

_"You're getting defensive," a voice said behind him._

Jack turned to see the three of him standing around. One looking for a peanut, one staring at him, and the other leaning up against the wall while cleaning his fingernails again.

He sighed, they really weren't going away. Then the door opened and Jack spun to face the person.

"Don't like who?" Sammi asked as she stared at him.

Jack looked around, no one was there. "I have no idea," Jack answered.

"What?" Sammi asked.

"Who?" Jack asked.

"Huh?"

"Exactly!" Jack yelled.

"Jack what are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"Oh nothing," Jack said. "Come on, lunch is about over and we have lots of water to cover."

Sam nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Jack alone. He looked around once and then followed her. For the rest of the day he tried to think about things other than Sammi and he had no more visits from himself. When everyone went to sleep she came back up to him.

"We gonna practice tonight?" she asked.

"Tomorrow, we need to get to Tortuga soon," Jack said.

Sammi nodded and walked down the stairs to go sleep and Jack walked to his room, closing the door behind him. He really needed to get over that girl.

**Sam's POVI left **the room with Jack behind me. He was acting weird lately, but that wasn't new with Jack. "Tortuga?" I asked again as I turned nodded. "Tortuga."I smiled and shook my head as I went back to the crew's quarters. Everyone was already snoring away into their hammocks as I laid down in my own. Annamaria was beside me along with Gibbs. I was so used to the snoring that it was comforting to fall asleep to. I didn't have any I woke up, it was the same as any other day. Everyone was still asleep and I made my way up to the deck. Jack was there, just like didn't turn around as I made my way toward him."Hey Jack," I said as I stood beside nodded and continued to look out at the water. "Morning, Sammi."I rolled my eyes. "That's so annoying," I told him. He smirked, but didn't look at me. "Is it Sammi?" "Will we make it to Tortuga today?" I stared out at the water and nodded. "We'll be there by nightfall," he was weird that we weren't fighting every morning now. But it wasn't worth it to fight every second of the crew was coming onto the deck and the sun was almost fully up. Jack stalked away from me and up to the helm, not looking back.I rolled my eyes. I liked him, but he was getting on my nerves. He wouldn't get away with ignoring me for long."Sam? You gonna do something or just stand there?" Will asked. "Well, actually you can't just stand there, I need to work right there."I smiled at him. "Sorry, I'll move."I walked over to Gibbs and helped him with the sails.**Jack's POV**Jack looked out at the deck from his spot at the helm. He could see Sammi from where he was at, working with Gibbs. It didn't bother him like it did when she was working with Joe. Maybe it was because he trusted Gibbs not to try anything with her. Jack shook his head, that couldn't be it because he didn't like her. He pulled out his compass and looked down at needle spun around until it landed out at the deck. It pointed to _her, _Sammi. "What's it say?" Will jumped and snapped the compass closed and turned to the man who was looming over his shoulder. "I need rum," Jack answered. "And you need to get back to work."Will nodded and walked away, back to his spot. Jack opened his compass just a little and peeked into it. The needle was still pointed at Sammi. He snapped it shut and looked up at the water. His hands went back to the wheel and he didn't look at the compass again."There a problem?" someone looked around and saw that it was Sammi."Why is no one working today!" Jack jumped back, her face wrinkling angrily, "Sorry, we're all on lunch break anyway."He saw her angry face and sighed."Sorry, I just need to get to port," Jack looked at her and noticed the way her hair moved in the wind. "Really need to get to port," he shook her head at him and walked away. "We'll get there soon."Jack nodded.

**I moved away from Captain Jack. **If all he needed was to get to port, I couldn't wait to be there. He was being so odd and I didn't like it.

Down in the galley, the crew was already stuffing their faces with food, as usual. Eating was a top priority for these men. Rum was being passed around and the talk was loud and full of laughter. I took a seat next to Joe and Gibbs, finding their company the best around.

Joe turned to look at me and smiled. "Hey Sam."

I returned the gesture, "Hi, we're supposed to get to Tortuga today."

Joe nodded. "Yeah, the captain really seems to want to get there fast. He keeps making us do extra work just to get there."

"There's somethin' the Cap'n wants in that port, that's why he wants to get there," Gibbs said.

I looked to him. "What does he want?"

Gibbs looked around. "A treasure map," he whispered.

"What kind of treasure map?" I asked.

Gibbs shrugged. "He's been looking for it for a long time and now he's finally gonna get it. I think it'll lead to somethin' very appealing, if you know what I mean."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and I looked to Joe to explain.

"He's talking about somethin' a little more shiny," Joe hinted.

I thought for a moment longer and it clicked.

"Somethin' we could all spend somewhere on what we want," he continued.

I nodded. "Treasure," I whispered.

"Aye," Gibbs nodded too. "The thing all pirates are out to get, treasure."

I grabbed an apple while I could and sat contemplating what was said. "So we're getting the treasure map, then."

No one said anything because it wasn't really a question. When lunch was over, we all went back on deck and got back to work to get to port.

The sun was setting and the heat of the day was beginning to cool when we finally saw land. It was a while into the distance, but we would get there before we needed to lower the anchor. Everyone worked twice as hard to get to the place.

Finally we were docked. All the men rushed off after hearing Jack's orders to be back in two days. Annamaria smiled said she would take the first watch of the ship and Jack thanked her by nodding to him.

"Sammi," Jack addressed me.

I raised my eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"I want you to stay here," he told me.

My eyes widened and I shook my head. "No way am I staying on this boat!" I yelled.

"Ship, luv, ship," Jack corrected.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not gonna stay on this _ship_ while you and the rest of the crew get to walk on land. I haven't set foot on land since the day **you** made me leave my sisters behind. I rather like the land, even if you find the sea preferable."

"Sammi," Jack started. "Any other port and I promise you can go on shore. Not this port, though. Tortuga is not the place to be for an unguarded woman to be alone in."

I shrugged. "I can take care of myself."

Jack shook his head. "You're staying here."

"No," I told him.

"I'll lock you in the brig if that's what I have to do to keep you here," Jack threatened me.

I smirked. "Because that worked out so well last time?"

"We're not going to be out at sea this time and so there's nothing to worry about. I don't think there's going to be any storms anytime soon anyway."

"You can't keep me there," I said. "Annamaria will let me out."

Annamaria had wide eyes as Jack turned to her. "She will do no such thing!"

Annamaria put her hands up and backed away. "I want nothing to do with this," she said.

Then she moved up to the crow's nest, sitting down.

"I don't want to stay on the ship," I said.

Jack stared at me and then gave in. "Fine, stay with me then."

I wrinkled my nose, I didn't like conditions for me to go on land. I just wanted to walk on shore again.

Jack stalked off and didn't look back. I followed him in silence, walking off the Pearl and into Tortuga for the first time.

My eyes were wide as I took in the first place I'd been to other than the place I was born. Jack pulled me up to his side and kept my arm gripped in his fist. He walked fast and didn't pause when I started to fall behind.

"Keep up," he snarled.

I rolled my eyes. "Why don't you try asking me?"

He didn't say anything, just tugged on my arm to make me move.

Men and women alike were all over the town. Many of them were drunk or had a bottle of rum in their hands. Laughter and loud, slurred voices seemed to come from every corner of the place.

I could feel Jack's gaze on me as we walked, but I wanted to take in all I could while I still had the chance. I had no clue when I was going to be able to set foot on land again and I wanted it to last in my memory for a while.

"What do you think?" Jack finally asked, needing to shout to be heard over everyone.

My eyes turned to him. He didn't seem to be mad at me anymore.

"It's interesting," I said with a smile.

Jack laughed and nodded. "Interesting is a good word for it."

His eyes landed on something behind me and Jack immediately turned the other way, pulling me with him. "This way," he squeaked.

I turned my head, wanting to see what was making him go the other way, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"What is it?" I asked.

Jack shook his head.

"Tell me."

He sighed. "If you must know, it's Scarlet."

"Scarlet?" I asked.

His expression turned slightly guilty. "Last time I was here I may have done some things to make her angry," Jack replied.

"Like what?" I inquired, becoming interested instantly.

"I might or might not have said that she looked fat in the dress she was wearing," Jack said. "Maybe."

I laughed.

"It's not funny," Jack cried. "Scarlet can slap hard."

My laughter continued, it was too funny.

Jack rolled his eyes at me, but a smirk crept upon his face. "Come on, let's go."

I followed Jack into a pub and we left the girl behind.

The pub was just as loud as the outside and even more crowded. Jack led me to the bar and ordered himself a bottle of rum. We sat in silence.

"Stay here and don't talk to anyone," he told me.

My eyes turned to him. "Where are you going?" I asked.

Jack nodded to a man sitting by himself at a table, drinking a bottle of brown liquid.

I nodded. "I'll be here."

Jack seemed to search my eyes for something and then tore them away from my face, getting up and leaving me alone. I watched him as he sat with the man. They started to talk and Jack looked like he was getting frustrated.

Jack said something and the conversation stopped. He pointed to me and the other man slowly turned his head to face me. The man faced Jack again and then nodded his agreement. They shook hands and Jack stood, coming toward me. Before he reached me, though, he stopped and turned back to the man.

He said something and the man looked at him, confused. Jack said something and he nodded again. Then Jack swaggered over to me.

"Sammi, we have somewhere we need to be," Jack said.

I followed him out of the pub and he stopped by the same man who he had spoke with earlier.

"Well, shall we go?" Jack asked.**The man turned away **from us and started walking, not saying a word. We walked through the town, hearing gunshots and seeing many things that I wish I didn't see. Jack had me keep close to him and held my arm in his firm grasp.

Suddenly I felt a tug at my other arm. Eyes wide I saw a man grinning at me and trying to pull me away from Jack.

By then, Jack had stopped and yanked me out of the other man's grasp.

"If you don't mind this woman happens to be with me tonight and I would rather not put your hands on her," Jack growled.I had never seen this side of Jack. His eyes flashed with an anger that could kill a man and his hand seemed to twitch toward the sword at his side.

The man still held a grin, oblivious to the Captain's rage. He didn't let go of my arm.

"What are you going to do about it?" the man asked.

There was no more words for Jack. He whipped out his pistol and pulled the trigger, the man dropped dead. His eyes stared up and he held that grin as he fell onto the ground.

"Let's go," Jack snarled.

He pulled me along and we followed the other man again.

I said nothing. I was too stunned to do anything but follow Jack as he stalked angrily through the town.

The man stopped outside a small house and told us to wait outside. He slid a key in the front door and opened it, leaving us outside.

When he came back, he was carrying a thick paper rolled up. I guessed this was the map Jack was looking for. The man handed it to Jack and he proceeded to stuff it into his vest where it couldn't be seen.

The two men shook hands and then Jack grabbed my arm again and led me back to the Pearl. On the deck, he still didn't let go of my arm.

He walked into his room and made me sit on the bed. Then he took the map from his vest and put it on a table that already held an assortment of things from pens to paper to odd trinkets.

When he was done, Jack knelt in front of me and looked me in the eye.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

His question confused me. Was I okay? Of course I was. "Yeah," I answered.

"Are you sure?" Jack asked.

I nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Jack sighed. "Sammi, I just shot a man dead before you and you didn't utter a word. Not even a little scream. I would think you'd be going into shock or something."

As I thought about his explanation, I realized it made sense. But I wasn't afraid or in shock. I felt safe, as though nothing could ever harm me as long as Jack was around. It felt odd to be so secure around someone. I had always been the one to take care of everyone, now Jack was there to help me.

"Sammi?" Jack asked.

My eyes met his dark brown ones. "I'm fine," I whispered.

Jack pulled me to him and hugged me. It was weird, I didn't hug people, not even my own sisters.

He didn't let go and after a moment I fell into it and hugged him back. Finally he pulled away and looked me in the eyes again, as though making sure I was truly okay.

I gave him a small smile to tell him I was fine.

Jack took my hand and led me back out to the deck. We just stood there, not saying anything. I went to the railing and leaned against it, watching the gentle waves as the rolled lazily toward the shore.

"Sammi," Jack said.

I faced him.

"Why aren't you afraid?" he asked.

I shrugged, I didn't really want to tell him the real reason.

"Sammi, look at me," he demanded.

I did.

"Answer me."

I sighed. "I don't know Jack. When you shot that guy, instead of being horrified or scared I suddenly felt safe."

"You felt safe?" he asked.

"Jack, the fact that you saved me made me feel safe. I don't know why, you make me feel safe," I explained.

He didn't say anything, looking out at the water instead of at my face.

"I think I'm going to go to sleep," I announced after a short pause.

Jack nodded, not facing me.

I walked down the stairs toward the crew's quarters. He made me feel safe, I couldn't help it and I wasn't sure I wanted to.

**Jack's POV**

Jack stared after her as she walked down the stairs to get some sleep. What could he say? The girl felt safe around him and he liked it, a lot more than he should.

He knew he couldn't take on the role of protecting her. If he did it would only make him feel more attached to her. Jack knew he couldn't get attached. It wasn't something a pirate did. Not something he did.

"_So what now Jackie?"_ another Jack asked. This time he could see the other one's brain and it had no scull.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"_Well I mean, what are you going to do now? With the girl? You like her, boy. Don't deny it when we all know it."_

And then there were two other Jack Sparrows standing there, both with similar, but different appearances. They both nodded.

"_You can't lie to us, Jackie. We are you," _the first one said.

Jack sighed, "I'm not going to do anything."

"_You sure about that? The girl trusts you, feels safe with you,"_ the Jack with the brain sticking out said.

Jack shrugged.

"_And you like it Jackie. So what are you going to do?" _

Jack sighed again, "Nothing, absolutely nothing." But Jack knew that he was lying to himself. He would go along with anything that happened from here on out.

Jack walked to his room. He thought about the man who had pulled Sammi away from him. The thought made him remember how much he wanted to do more than just shoot the guy. So many ways to torture the man ran through his head, but then he thought of Sammi again.

If he was worried a gunshot would scare her, he couldn't go about torturing a man in front of her. But he wanted to so bad. Jack laid down to sleep and closed his eyes. For now he would be glad that the man was dead.

Then he remembered the map. His eyes snapped open and he looked at his desk where it lay. Jack eyed it warily. It would lead them to the treasure, but at what cost?

He couldn't think about it anymore and pushed it out of his mind. Nothing would stop him from getting the treasure he's searched so long for. Jack would get it at any cost.

He fell back on his back and his eyes closed again. Jack decided he would think about other things to help him fall asleep. He didn't dream at all that night and neither did Sammi as she lay below deck, on her hammock.

Jack's last thought was of Sammi and other things he didn't want to think about. He shut everything out of his brain and sighed. He fell into unconsciousness.

**Sam's POV**

**I woke **from my peaceful sleep and got up. None of the men were on the ship and I expected they were still out spread around the town. I moved to change and then walked up to the deck. Not even Jack was out yet.

The sun was barely up over the horizon and I could see the moon on the opposite side of the sky. It was a nice sight to see. Tortuga was silent for the moment.

"You're up early," a voice said from behind me.

I turned to see none other than Captain Jack Sparrow. He smiled and walked to me, stopping at my side and he rested his hands on the rail.

"It's a beautiful day," Jack said.

I nodded my agreement. It was going to be a gorgeous day. Too bad we weren't even going to be out at sea.

My eyes wandered about the deck and finally landed on Jack.

"What are we doing today?" I asked him.

He looked at me. "Well, what do you want to do?" he asked.

"I don't know what there is to do that's why I asked you," I replied.

Jack smirked. "I have to do a few things on shore," he said. "If you wouldn't mind staying here while I go…'I laughed. "I won't go on shore again. You go and I'll keep myself busy doing something…I'll practice my sword."

Jack nodded. "You do that, luv."

And then he left and I was alone on the Pearl. It was odd, the place was always so full of life with all the pirates who were usually there. I missed the noise already and that was an odd thought in itself.

I grabbed my sword and swung it around, doing a few basic moves. Then I got into it once again, actually using the footwork and other things I'd learned. It was tiring work and I soon stopped, placing my blade in its sheath at my side. Today Joe had decided to stay and watch the ship. Apparently I couldn't do that on my own.

He smiled as he walked up to me. "Sam," he greeted.

"Hey, Joe," I said.

"Practicing your sword again?" he asked.

I nodded, then I found I was curious about something. "Joe, what's this treasure we're going to find?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. The captain doesn't like to tell us so much anymore about anything. He was once mutinied and he likes to keep more to himself."

I nodded again. "But you must know something about it," I tried again."

"All I know is that no one's ever been able to get at it. There's only one person in the world who can unlock the island to get to it. The person has to be an heir to the man who put the treasure there."

"So we have to find the heir to this guy before we can do anything?" I asked.

Joe replied, "I guess. Unless the captain has another idea."

"Thanks," I said and he left to stand in the crow's nest.

I wanted to know more about this mysterious treasure, there was something about it that completely intrigued me. It might've been that all pirates enjoy treasure, or that the treasure was a mystery to everyone. All I knew was that I wanted to know more.

For a while I practiced my sword and footwork. Then I got bored and decided to take a nap. But I wasn't tired and I ended up laying on my hammock with my mind racing.

I was so tempted to go into Jack's cabin and take a peek at the map. It was so hard to hold myself back, but I did. If Jack wanted to show me, he would. Or at least I hoped he would.

When Jack came back, he carried rum in his arms and I helped him take it down to the rum hold.

"So, how was your day, Sammi? Bored?" Jack asked.I smirked. "How'd you guess?"

Jack shook his head and his arm slid across my shoulders. "I just know you, luv."

I laughed, but I was almost hyperaware of his arm.

I didn't know it, but Jack was just as aware of it as I was.

We stood at the rail of the ship and looked out at Tortuga this time. The place was beginning to come alive as the day turned to night. For a while the two of us were silent.

"Wasn't the crew supposed to be back today?" I looked down at me. "They'll be back in the morning ready to work."

Then he seemed to remember something. Jack turned us to face the other way, seeming reluctant to let me go."Joe!" he yelled.

I had forgotten that he was still on the ship.

Joe appeared before us. "Aye Captain!" he said.

"You have the night off, do as you wish and be back in the morning, ready to sail," Jack ordered.

Joe nodded, "Aye Captain."

Then he hurried off into the pirate port.

Jack sighed and seemed to relax again, his arm still wound around my shoulders securely.

We walked down the stairs into the galley without a word spoken between us. I hadn't eaten yet and I assumed he hadn't either. "What would you like Captain?" I asked as I moved out of his grasp. I smiled at him widely and nodded my head toward the kitchen area.

Jack laughed. "You'd burn down me ship if you tried to cook anything," he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm very observant, I could cook you something if I tried."

Jack just laughed. "Fine, then. What can you make?"

I stared at him for a moment. "How about an apple?" I suggested.

We both laughed together comfortably. I found that I truly was comfortable with him, it was easy just to laugh and have fun by his side.

Jack nodded with a smile still playing on his lips. "Apples it is!"

As we sat eating alone in the galley I looked over Jack again. He was a very handsome man, I'd give him that. Along with that, he was confident and kind. He was strong and a very patient teacher. All that made him nearly irresistible.

As that thought crossed my mind I knew that I was falling for the great Captain Jack Sparrow. He could be rude and arrogant and even stubborn, but he was also kind and caring and protective. I felt safe with him and I was falling for him. I knew it was dangerous to fall for a pirate, just as it was dangerous to go with him and leave my sisters behind. But I could no longer blame him for any of that because he was there and he was helping me live again.

I wasn't sure what brought it all on, but I couldn't stop the emotions that suddenly flooded me. I was falling for a pirate. I was falling for Jack Sparrow. The man I was certain had killed my mother and was denying it. The man who had taken my father's treasure and left. The man who taught me how to fight better. The man who had killed to protect me.

There was no use denying it. He had been redeemed in my eyes and I would love him now no matter what he did, so I thought.

When I looked up at Jack I found he was looking down at me with almost smothering eyes that I just wanted to melt in. It felt as though he was staring into my soul.

Slowly, Jack lowered his head to mine. I knew he was giving me time to pull away if I wanted to, but I didn't want to. And then his lips touched mine and he kissed me softly.

After a moment he pulled away, looking into my eyes. I smiled lightly and he returned it with a smile of his own.

That was when Joe came crashing down the stairs. "Captain!" he yelled.

Both Jack and I jumped away from each other, almost guiltily.

"Aye, Stinky!" Jack called back, using Joe's nickname.

"The crew ran into some of Sao Feng's men on shore! They prepare to attack!" Joe yelled hurriedly.

Jack jumped out of his seat. "And where be the crew?" Jack asked, now also rushed.

"All on the deck, Cap'n!" Joe answered.

Jack nodded once. "All hands on deck, I want to be out of here!"

Both of the men ran onto the deck and I sat in my chair. I sighed at the fact that our moment was interrupted. Then a slow smirk crept on my face, Jack and I had a moment. Jack had kissed me.

I bit my lip in a moment of utter girlyness before running after them onto the deck, helping with anything that needed to be helped with.

**We had smooth **sailing throughout the night and in the morning all of us were more than exhausted. Will and I stood by a sail with half-opened eyes, falling asleep where we stood.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon and Jack seemed to be unaffected by the time or how long he'd been up. He was swaggering around the deck like he always did when he came to a stop, noticing everyone else was about ready to pass out where they were standing.

"Alright crew, get some sleep!" he yelled.

Jack caught my eye and I walked toward him as everyone else went down to get some sleep at last.

"Morning, Sammi," Jack greeted.

I rolled my eyes and he slipped his arm around my shoulders again. "Good morning, Jack."

We both were staring out at the waters, almost expecting to see a ship and sails on the horizon. It was quiet for a moment, but it was comfortable and I felt no need to say anything into it. The day would be a nice one, of that I was certain.

I didn't notice when Jack's gaze slipped from the water to my face and I didn't notice when he seemed to start talking to himself, though I should have been paying attention to see it.

Jack's POV

"_Jack, what are you going to do now?" a mini him asked. This one stood on his shoulder, knocking hair out of his way to look up at Jack's face._

Jack didn't know what to say, but he knew he liked the feeling of his arm wrapped around her. He didn't want this to stop, didn't want to let her go when he was so close to her at last. And he knew that when she learned of his secrets she would surely cringe away from him in disgust rather than let his arm wind itself around her.

He looked down at the girl and felt himself smile just a bit, the girl was a good thing for him. If nothing else, she brought out the best in his nature. It was like Elizabeth had tried so desperately to tell him, but never was unless Sammi was around. He would be a good person for her if that was what she wanted him to be.

"_So, you're just gonna let it all fall into place will you? And what will you do when she finds out? Are you just going to lock her in the brig for the rest of her life so she will not leave you?" the mini Jack questioned._

Jack was unsure how to answer that. He hadn't come that far in his planning yet. All he knew was that she would have to listen to what he said when he did. She would listen to him and hear him out.

"_And what of that insolent pirate? Stinky Joe?" the mini Jack continued. "You know he will be there for her and she seems to enjoy his company as well."_

Jack growled, he wouldn't let that worthless excuse of a man take away Sammi no matter what he did. She was his now and no one would take her from him. His eyes fell back onto the girl and his mood softened, he could not be mad while she was so content. Suddenly he realized that he was thinking of Sammi as his. He couldn't do that, she wasn't his. It had just been a simple kiss and he was acting like he owned her. No, she didn't belong to him. If she belonged to him that would mean that he felt more for her than what he thought he did and that would be bad because then what would happen if she thought he didn't think he liked her and she did like him?

Jack's thoughts confused himself as he tried to sort it all out. All he knew was that it would not be good to be falling for this girl at sea, it could only lead to trouble. He had seen the longing in her eyes when they had docked, she wouldn't want to stay on the ship for months on end without seeing the land. Even if she did seem to have a liking for the sea more than any other he had seen, she still loved the land more than the water.

And he knew he couldn't live his life on shore. What would he do? He wasn't one to get a respectable job and look after a family. After all he was Captain Jack Sparrow, infamous for his dangerous and deadly adventures. Jack wouldn't let anything get in the way of his lifestyle and that was the end of it.

"_Whatever you think, Jackie. But you should make it less painful for you so that you'll get less visits from me," the mini Jack was saying._Jack looked down at the mini-me on his shoulder and nodded. It was right, he couldn't let this go on the way it was. He would have to separate himself from Sammi so that he didn't get hurt. There was no way that Captain Jack Sparrow would let some foolish girl hurt him anyhow. He would be the one to break it off with her because sooner or later it would come to that anyway.

Sammi sighed contently and Jack cringed. How did he think he was gonna hurt her, though? She was something else and he couldn't do it to her. Not now anyway, he would tell her some other time when he'd had more time to think it through.

"Maybe we should get some sleep before we have to set sail again," Jack said thoughtfully.

Sammi looked up at him. "Alright, see you when we wake," she said.

Then she walked down toward the crew's quarters to rest. Jack went to his room and laid on the bed. The map in the corner of the room seemed to take up all the space and he closed his eyes tightly, trying to wish it away. It was the cause for all his problems. If he'd never found the map then he wouldn't even be thinking about this now.

Jack drifted off to sleep thinking of Sammi and what would await them in the future. He did not want to lose her, but he feared for the worst.

At the same time Sam was also closing her eyes, listening to the deep snores of her fellow crewmembers. She was thinking to herself that it wouldn't be so bad to like Jack after all, even if he did do some things in his past that were horrible. And maybe he didn't do it, he had said he didn't and she didn't have a perfect memory. Perhaps she was wrong.

With that the two pirates let themselves fall into the world of dreams and out of the grips of reality, if only for a few hours.

**Sam's POV**

**When I woke **I found that I was still awake before all the others. They were still snoring in their beds as I rose and changed my clothes. Then I moved up the stairs and onto the deck.

I was alone there, rather than being with anyone else like I was so accustomed to. I assumed that Jack was still asleep in his cabin and I climbed up to the crow's nest to get a better view of the ocean. It was truly beautiful, I could never get enough of it no matter how many times I stared into its blue depths. My eyes caught something off to the right and my head whipped around. There was a ship sailing on the open waters, coming straight toward the Pearl.

Jumping up, I moved down from the crow's nest carefully but quickly, running to Jack's cabin and throwing the door open with a long bang. I huffed out my explanation as Jack looked up at me sleepily.

"Ship…coming…Singapore…flags," I panted out.

Jack needed no other warning, instantly awake and jumping out of bed. He rushed out of the room and past me, looking over the rail to see the ship that was coming at us.

"Get the crew," Jack ordered quickly. "And your sword," he added as an afterthought.

I nodded and took off across the deck and down the stairs, taking them two at a time and jumping past the last few.

"Everybody up!" I yelled as I stormed through the place toward my hammock. "Sao Feng's men are gaining on us and we need every hand on deck!"

The men were jumping out of bed and blearily throwing on clothes and gathering their weapons to fight. I passed Annamaria as I grabbed my own sword and attached it to my side, running with her back to the deck.

Already the anchor was being raised as well as the sails. Jack was at the helm, yelling orders and staring out intently at the ship that was approaching swiftly. In the chaos, I wasn't sure what was needed of me and I moved toward him.

"What should I do Captain?" I asked.

Jack smirked. "Now you call me Captain," he said.

I rolled my eyes, even on the eve of a battle he couldn't refrain from making annoying comments. "_Jack_ what do you want me to do?" I replied.

I heard him laugh lowly. "Just wait, you'll need your energy if they make it to us before we can get away," he answered. He turned from me, "Joe, Cotton, take some men and ready the cannons!"

The men ran off and further into the ship to do as Jack commanded.

"So you want me to sit here and not do anything until they come on deck?" I clarified.

Jack nodded tensely. "Just do it, you will want to be ready to fight if they get here and I can't very well keep you away from that unless I were to…No, you'd kill me if I did that."

I grinned, though I didn't know what he was talking about I knew that he was probably right if he was trying to keep me away from the fighting.

"Besides, we'll need everyone. I don't think that's the only ship Sao Feng would've sent," Jack said.

I glanced at the ship, it was so close. Our sails had finally been raised and our ship started to move, but now it would be too late. The wind wasn't very strong and I heard Gibbs mutter something about bad luck as he passed me.

"Do we fight, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked.

Jack nodded, "But only when they board the ship."

Gibbs sighed, "Aye Cap'n. And what about the cannons?""Open fire as soon as possible," Jack responded.

Gibbs turned and left as the ship grew closer and closer. It seemed as if it were taking its time, knowing that we wouldn't be able to outrun it for a while. Now while the wind did nothing and the crew was not yet fully awake. They seemed to know exactly what they were doing and we were unaware the whole time.

The ship pulled up beside the Pearl and the men readied themselves to fight. Soon the other pirates had swung over to the Black Pearl and the battle had started. I locked swords with one man and he laughed as he realized he was fighting with a girl.

"This is no place for a woman," the man snickered.

I felt my eyes blaze in anger. "I can do anything you do," I panted. My blade swung and it hit him in the stomach, making him double over and fall to the floor. "But I can do it better."

Then I moved on to the next man. It seemed that every time I was done fighting one man another took his place. I was now thankful that Jack and I had practiced every morning to keep myself in shape and my skills sharp.

None of the other pirates seemed to think a girl could fight and I easily overpowered them when they thought I would go down without much trouble. When I looked up I could see that Jack was locked in battle with a man who seemed to be the captain of the other ship, they didn't look like they were on the best of terms either.

Jack was grinning, saying things to the man as their men fought around them. The other captain looked like he wanted to kill Jack. Of course, he probably did seeing as they were trying to take down our ship.

By that time, we had taken down the other crew. It was obvious that we were superior and the pirates left scrambled back to their own ship in fear of being killed. The cannons had stopped firing and the only people left fighting were Jack and the other pirate captain. I stood beside Will and Gibbs, watching them along with everyone else.

Neither captain seemed to realize that the battle was over, and to them it probably wasn't, as they fought fiercely. I looked to Gibbs, knowing that he would be the most knowledgeable out of them.

"So who is this other captain? Is it Sao Feng?" I asked.

Gibbs glanced up at the men and then to me, shaking his head. "No, Sao Feng rarely comes out of his city without good reason. This is his first mate, his right had man you could say. Jack's had several run-ins with him."

I grinned, "Let me guess, they don't get along well."

Gibbs smirked. "You could say that."

I felt myself laugh, though Jack was still locked in battle. We all knew that he would win the fight, especially when his crew was there to back him up while the other's crew was no where to be found.

"So what's his name?" I asked as I watched their moves with careful scrutiny, it would only help me later on.

Will answered me, "That's Captain Cordurey, only Jack would mess with him."

We both smirked, we knew that Jack wasn't one to follow what others did and would stand up to anyone he wanted.

Soon Jack had flung Cordurey 's sword out of his hands and was telling him to leave. Jack had a smug look on his face as he notified the other captain that his crew seemed to have deserted him.

Everyone watched as the captain left the ship and swung back to his own, snickering to ourselves about the fact that they thought they could catch us by surprise and we still won. Victory is always a good feeling.

Still, Gibbs muttered to himself, "He'll be back before long. Cordurey won't let Jack off that easy, never does."

Jack told us all to go get something to eat and the crowd that had been watching his fight dispersed. We were all hungry and worn out from the fighting. It had been my first real sword fight and I had found it easier than Jack had made it out to be. Pirates really weren't that good of fighters.

I made my way down to the galley with the men and Annamaria. Joe had found his way to my side sometime during Jack's fight. Gibbs and Will were talking about something and Cotton was sitting by himself with his parrot on his shoulder. Joe and I were quiet, there was nothing to say.

Then Jack was there at my side, smirking smugly. "How'd you do?" Jack asked as he leaned back against the wall.

"It wasn't as hard as you made it out to be," I answered.

Jack laughed, it seemed like he was in a very good mood after winning. "That's good, but it won't always be that easy, wait until you have to fight something that can't die," he told me.

I raised an eyebrow, why would I ever have to fight something that couldn't die? And everything died, so how could that ever be possible?

Jack shook his head and got a distant look in his eye. "I'll tell you the story sometime about when me and young William here had to fight against pirates who were cursed by Aztec gold."

"Cursed gold? Is that even possible?" I asked.

Jack nodded, "It's real, if you take so much as one piece from the gold then you shall be cursed for eternity, never to die, never to feel the cold or be hot, never to be able to eat or drink ever again."

I sat there in a thoughtful silence, so there was cursed gold out there somewhere. I would have to remind Jack to tell me the story sometime, or get Gibbs to if he wouldn't.

Everyone stayed in the galley for a while, eating and laughing, playing cards and talking smack to their opponent. Somehow I managed to stay next to Jack the entire night, ending up watching a game of poker and sitting next to him, his arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"Jack how do you know the treasure you're going to isn't cursed?" I asked, looking up at him.

He smirked down at me, his arm never leaving my shoulders. "Well, somehow, everyone always knows if a treasure is cursed or not. Normally the person who put it there told people what would be blocking them. If not, there's been enough people to go down there and try it, finding that they needed something special to get to it."

"And that's happened with this treasure?" I asked.

Jack frowned slightly, but continued to talk. "Aye, that's what happened."

I let the conversation drop for the moment, though I still had so many questions. "Are we gonna keep up my practice or are we just saying it's good and going on like this?" I asked after a moment.

He shook his head at me. "We'll start practicing again tomorrow," he replied.

I nodded once, "Good, cuz I wanted to learn that stuff."

Jack rolled his eyes at me as he turned back to watch the game, pulling me closer to his side.

The rest of the night went by in much the same way and before long we were all getting tired and one by one we made our way to the crew's quarters to sleep. Jack had to almost drag me there when I fell asleep on his shoulder, watching a game being played between Jack and Gibbs. It was interesting enough, but I was just too tired to keep my eyes open and see.

Finally in my hammock and with my eyes closed shut, I fell asleep. Jack left me there and went back to his own cabin, feeling very proud of himself for beating the other captain and that he'd gotten me to stay with him all night without a single protest. Though he did see Joe sending him dirty looks once when he'd dragged her away to go do something else.

I didn't have any nightmares and though I didn't know it, neither did Jack. We were both content to simply leave the world as it was and do as we wished.

**My eyes opened **when the sun was up and I woke without being groggy or tired at all. I was happy to be awake and I quickly changed and went up to the deck. Jack was already there, his hands resting on the railing as he stared off into the distance.

I came up to stand by him and looked up at his face. He seemed so lost in thought that I couldn't say a word, just look up at him and get lost in my own thoughts.

Finally Jack looked down at me, smiling. "Morning," he said brightly.

"Good morning, you're gonna practice with me tonight?" I asked, getting to the point.

Jack rolled his eyes at me, "Yes we'll practice tonight. And we'll keep up your knife training now too."

I nodded, "Thank you."

He shook his head but said nothing, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Shut up," I told him.

"I didn't say anything," he replied.

I stared up at him with a knowing look, "You were thinking it. Both you and I know it."

"You know what I'm thinking?" he asked.

I closed my eyes and acted like I was concentrating, "I know exactly what you're thinking."

That's when he started to laugh and I hit his arm. I started punching his arm as he just laughed harder.

"Would you stop laughing at me!" I cried.

After another few minutes he got himself under control and Jack looked at me. "There, I'm done are you happy?"

"Very."

Jack threw his arm around my shoulders again and pulled me close to him. We were quiet as we stared out at the sea again. The silence was comfortable and I felt that I could stay like this forever.

Of course that's when the crew started coming on the deck. Jack sighed and took his arm back, turning around to face the crew that was getting the ship ready to sail.

"Well, I'm off to work with somebody who'll let me," I sighed.

Jack nodded and I left, finding myself beside Annamaria.

Her eyes were filled with concern as she looked at me. "You like Jack," she whispered.

I glanced at her and bit my lip. I knew she didn't approve of it one bit, but I couldn't help who I liked. "Yes," I said quietly.

She shook her head. "I'm warning you that it won't come to a pretty end. Jack always wants something when he likes a girl," Annamaria said.

"I know you've warned me before, but I can't help it," I replied while working on a sail, already sweat was dripping down my face and into my eyes. "He's so nice to me and he's helped me so much."

Annamaria said nothing. "It won't end well, that much I can tell you."

I nodded. "I'll deal with it when it comes." Then I added quietly, "If it comes."

At lunch I sat between Jack and Joe. Gibbs was across from us as he tried to teach me how to play poker. Let's just say a two year old could've done better than I did.

Afterward we went back on the deck to get back to work. This time I was paired up with Joe. He was unusually quiet and didn't say anything as we worked.

"Are you okay?" I asked when I'd gotten tired of his silent brooding.

He just nodded and didn't speak.

I sighed, I didn't like the quiet. "You know you can tell me. I won't tell anyone else," I assured.

Joe's gaze flickered from my face to the floor, but he still was quiet.

"Would you just talk already? I hate the silent treatment!" I cried after a few more minutes.

He shook his head with a small smile. "What would you do if all our lives depended on quiet?"

I shrugged, "We'd all die."

At last I got a laugh out of him and he seemed to open up again.

"So tell me what you're so upset about," I commanded.

"I'm not upset."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah sure, and I don't feel like punching you in the nose for trying to avoid my questions," I said sarcastically.

Joe sighed. "I can't tell you.""Why can't you tell me? I promise I won't tell anyone else and I'll never laugh at you or do anything that would be considered rude."He shook his head. "No, it's not that you would laugh or anything. I know you'd never tell anyone. I just don't think I can tell you yet."

I stopped what I was doing to put my hands on my hips. "And just why not?"

"Please drop it Sam, I won't tell you."

I grumbled in annoyance and started muttering insults in his direction.

"Would you stop that?" he asked.

I smiled sweetly. "Stop what?"

Joe rolled his eyes and I went back to mumbling under my breath.

"Sam!" he finally snapped.

"What?"

"Just stop, maybe I'll tell you some other time. Not now," he said.

I pouted. "But I wanna know now."

"You don't always get what you want," he said under his breath.

I didn't think it was meant for me to hear, though and was quiet. What was that supposed to mean? He almost never said stuff like that.

We didn't talk as we worked and at the end of the day we dropped the anchor and went back to the galley for dinner. I grabbed an apple off the table and leaned against the wall, watching the men drink and talk.

Jack came to stand beside me, but soon got into a conversation with Gibbs. As he walked away he grabbed my arm, dragging me along to sit beside him. A few minutes later Joe had taken up the seat to my right, but didn't say anything to me, instead talking to another pirate who was sitting a few chairs down.

I rolled my eyes, this was getting me nowhere and no one was even bothering to talk to me. "I'm gonna go talk to Annamaria," I said to no one in particular.

They didn't stop me as I walked out of the galley and through the rooms to the one where Jack and I usually practiced in. The knives I'd been training with sat against the wall, right where I'd left them before. Not long after I entered Will came in behind me.

"Hey, I thought you might want some company," he greeted.

I shrugged, I was used to being on my own and being with so many people was actually getting tiresome.

"You and Jack practicing tonight?" he asked.

"I don't know, we're supposed to but I think he forgot," I replied.

Will nodded. "So you're with Jack them?" he asked.

I thought about it for a moment, I didn't know if I was with Jack or not. Sure he'd kissed me, but did he really want to be in a relationship?

My confusion must have shown on my face because Will started talking. "If you don't know you can always talk to him."

I bit the inside of my cheek, I really did not like the idea of talking to Jack about a relationship. Especially when there was a possibility that he didn't want one and the kiss hadn't meant anything to him.

"If you don't talk to him, you'll never know," Will said.

"I know."

Jack walked in then, stopping when he saw Will and I.

"Jack," Will said as he left. "Sam."

I waved and then the door closed, Jack coming further into the room. "Ready to practice?" he asked.

I smirked. "Of course I'm ready to kick your butt."

"You're going to be sadly disappointed, luv," he said.

"Only in your dreams," I replied.

Hours later I was sweating buckets and I was hunched over, my hands resting on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. "This is worse than the sword," I panted.

"It'll get easier," Jack said.

"Says you," I retorted.

Jack snorted, but otherwise didn't reply. "Again."

After trying, but not succeeding in disarming Jack with the knives again, he decided to let me take a break and I sat against the wall, breathing deeply. My eyes were closed, but I opened them just a little to see what he was doing. I was sure I didn't want to have this conversation with him, but I knew that I had to.

"Jack," I started.

He looked up at me. "Yeah?"

I could feel my heart pounding wildly in my chest and I just wanted to die there on the spot. There was no way I could talk to him.

"What is it?" he asked as he came to sit by me.

Jack put his arm around my shoulders like he'd been doing lately and took my hand with his other one.

I took a deep breath, here it goes. "So I was wondering," I said. But I stopped, I couldn't do it.

Jack waited expectantly for me to continue.

"I wanted to know…" I said. I couldn't feel my lip anymore because I had bitten it so much. "Are we like together now or what's going on between us?" I asked quickly.

My heart pounded in my chest and I was sure it was going to burst at any second. My fears only worsened when Jack said nothing.

"**I was just wondering**, it doesn't have to be anything," I said, trying to make myself seem like less of a fool for wanting it to be something.

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe evenly, I felt like I was going to cry at my humiliation. That's when I felt a pressure on my lips and my eyes flew open. Jack was kissing me. When he pulled away he looked into my eyes."Do you want it to be something?" he asked.

I bit my lip and looked down, I couldn't answer. "Do you?" I asked.

Without looking up I saw him smirk. "Do you think I would've kissed you if the answer was no?"

I shook my head.

"So do you want it to be something?" Jack asked again.

Slowly, I nodded my head but kept it lowered.

He grabbed my chin and pulled it up so that I was looking at him. Jack kissed me again and then pulled away.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Well, it's late enough. Let's go to bed," Jack said.

We both got up and went our separate ways, me to the crew's quarters, Jack to the captain's cabin. I fell asleep without a problem, no dreams to bother me.

Jack's POV

He went back to his cabin and closed the door behind him. He really did want to be in a relationship with Sammi, he didn't want anyone to be with her and it bugged him when Joe was too close to her.

Jack had seen Joe getting closer to her when he himself had gotten closer to Sammi. It bothered him to no end to see that she didn't mind anything that the other pirate did. If she really liked him then she shouldn't be so comfortable around other guys.

But she didn't truly mean anything by it, she was as close to William as she was to Joe and Jack didn't mind that. It was just that Joe liked Sammi. Jack knew it, he could see the looks he gave the girl and it made him immensely jealous, though he'd never admit it to anyone.

"_Do you see Jackie? Look what's gotten into you," another Jack said._

Jack himself sighed, he wasn't liking these visits from himself. "I know exactly what I'm doing, you don't need to worry so much," Jack complained.

_The other Jack rolled his eyes. "And what will you tell her about the treasure then?" _

This stopped Jack short. "I'll get to that when I get to that," he said.

Then the other Jack was gone and he himself was left to ponder what he would do when Sammi learned about the treasure.

He laid back on his bed and closed his eyes, only getting to sleep hours later and sleeping fitfully. His dreams were laced with the treasure, himself, and Sammi. Every time he saw her she was angry at him, crying and screaming. Once he watched her die in his dream. It made him sick to see her blood dripping from her body and the color slowly leaving her tan skin.

Sam's POV

The next morning I woke happy. The snores coming from everyone else seemed to lighten my mood even more and I smiled brightly to myself as I got dressed and walked onto the deck. Jack wasn't there, but I went to the rail and looked over the edge, grinning wildly at the blue waters.

"What made you so happy?" Jack asked as he came up behind me.

His arms snaked around my waist and he laid his head on my shoulder, staring out at the ocean as well.

I grinned and turned my head to face him, our faces just barely touching. "I don't know, why are you so grouchy?"

Jack shrugged as he turned away from me to look out at the water. I could sense something was wrong, but held back. It wouldn't do me any good to start meddling in things he did not want me to meddle in.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked.

Jack seemed to be plagued by thoughts and he didn't answer me right away. "No, I had nightmares all night long," he replied.

I grimaced in sympathy, I knew what it felt like to loose sleep to nightmares. "I'm sorry, what were they about?" I asked.

He hesitated before telling me, seeming to contemplate what he was going to say. "You kept dying," he told me. "You kept yelling at me and wouldn't stop screaming in my face."

Jack didn't seem to want to tell me the reason why I was yelling in his face, but he seemed disturbed by something and I turned to hug him. He sighed and then pulled away a moment later. "Everyone will be up soon," he said.

I nodded, wondering what he wasn't telling me. My happy mood seemed to vanish and I frowned, I didn't want to be sad.

"Jack, how about you tell me something," I suggested, trying to get the subject back to lighter matters.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

I bit my lip, deciding on what I wanted to know about. "Tell me the story about the cursed pirates," I requested.

For a moment he was silent and thoughtful, then he started into the story, which happened to include Gibbs, Will, Cotton, and even Annamaria.

I interrupted him in the middle of the story many times to ask questions and talk about things that he said, but Jack didn't seem to mind. Instead of having me work like I normally did, when the crew came on deck he pulled me up to the helm and wrapped an arm around my waist as he talked.

"They marooned you on the same island as they had the last time? Didn't they expect you to escape the same way?" I asked.

Jack smiled down at me, "No. Barbossa always likes to underestimate Captain Jack Sparrow."

I laughed. "Oh yes, because you are so fearsome," I said.

He nodded. "I am."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Well not to you obviously."

I laughed again and leaned back against him as he steered the ship. My eyes closed and I felt a soft wind blowing across my face.

When the crew went down for lunch Jack took the time to pause his story and talk with some of the crew. I was content to sit beside him and go wherever he went, his arm never leaving my waist or my shoulders.

After lunch everyone went back to the deck and Jack resumed the story, picking up where he'd left off. I didn't notice the looks some of the crew started throwing at me, but Jack did and he eyed them back warily.

Jack's POV

Jack didn't like the way he saw some of his men glancing up at him and Sammi. He watched as Joe stared up at them enviously. The other pirate gave Jack a venomous glare before going back to his work.

He knew that the crew wasn't liking the fact that Sammi wasn't working like they all had to, but he couldn't help but not make her work. Jack looked down at her to see her smiling and staring out at the ocean. How could he make that all go away? The story he was telling her seemed to have captured her attention and she asked questions constantly.

"What happened then?" Sammi questioned because Jack had paused.

He smiled down at her. "Well I told them to let me go in first, so that I could bring the pirates out. Of course they didn't trust a pirate though."Her eyes were bright with excitement at the telling of the story and she listened intently to him as he continued.

"I grabbed a piece of the cursed gold and hid it so that none would see. Then the fight with Barbossa started," Jack told her.

"Why'd you take it?" she asked.

Jack shrugged. "There is always a reason for the things I do. It just may be unapparent at the time."

She smiled and he continued. "I shot Barbossa in the chest and he laughed at me, saying that I had wasted my shot. But that was when I threw my coin back to William and he dropped both his and mine into the chest. Hector Barbossa turned back to me and then fell over dead."

"You killed him," she stated.

Jack nodded, he wondered how that would sit with her.

"Well it was about time, he tried to kill you on more than one occasion," Sammi said.

Jack smiled, he should've known that was the reaction he'd get out of her.

"Then what?" she asked.

"Norrington arrested me," Jack said. "I am a pirate and it is illegal to let a pirate live so I was sentenced to be hung."

Sammi turned to look up at him.

"You have William to thank for this actually. He helped me escape and fought the navy off with my help of course."

"Of course," she said.

Jack smirked.

"So what have you been doing since then?" Sammi asked him.

Jack wasn't sure what to tell her. There had been so many adventures that would take days and days to tell of, but he couldn't tell her what he'd truly been searching for. He couldn't say what he'd been waiting for the entire time. "Sailing the seas luv, as any pirate does with his spare time," Jack replied.

This answer seemed to suffice for her and she relaxed against him.

Dinner soon came and they all went down to the galley to eat. Jack kept Sammi with him the entire time and was happy to see that she didn't protest in the least. The only thing that did bother him was seeing Joe had taken up a permanent spot on her other side and she seemed fine with this as well.

Finally they left to go train Sammi with her knives. Jack led her away from the galley to their practice room and she pulled out her knives. For now they were just a simple set that he'd found while searching through their loot, he would get her a set for herself when they stopped at the next port.

"Don't do that," Jack said as she stepped wrong yet again.

Sammi looked down at her feet and fixed her footwork before looking back up at him and trying twice as hard.

Hours later they were done and Sammi was panting, her hands on her knees.

"Let's just go once with our swords," she said.

Jack nodded and watched as she pulled out her blade and crouched low to the ground. He circled her and she did the same, a grin gracing her lips. Then he made the first move, knowing her style and knowing that she wouldn't be the first to go. She blocked and they fought like they used to, settling into their familiar routine.

After what seemed like hours they agreed to a tie and they dropped their swords to their sides. Jack bid Sammi good-night and then made his way to his cabin, too tired to do much other than fall into the bed and go to sleep.

Sam's POV

I fell on my hammock with a sigh. The day had been a good one that was for sure. Jack's story reminded me of the ones my father always told us and I enjoyed staying with him at the helm.

Then the practicing made me tired and all I wanted was to sleep. I was tired, but it felt good, knowing I had worked my muscles the way they were supposed to be used. Now all there was to do was get rest.

I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep, without a dream or a care in the world.

**When the sun came **up so was I, walking onto the deck and seeing that at the sky was a bright, blinding orange. The water reflected the color and I smiled out at it, happy beyond belief for what seemed to be no reason at soon came to stand beside me, just like every morning and I turned to look at him, still smiling. He raised an eyebrow.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Not sure, I just am."

Jack sighed and laid an arm around my shoulders. I leaned against him and watched as the sky changed from bright orange to a pale blue. White clouds sat in front of the sun so that it didn't blind us.

"Here they come," I said as we started to hear stirrings from below.

Jack nodded, "Here they come."

He pulled his arm back to himself, but grabbed my hand and led me away from the rail to the helm. Everyone was walking on deck as Jack wrapped his arm back around my waist and we stood at the helm.

"I should go help," I said, trying to pull away.

His arm only got tighter as he held me in place.

I looked up at him with curious eyes.

"You'll stay right here," Jack ordered. A smirk played against his lips as he tried not to show it and I grinned in response.

"If I don't do my share of work it won't be fair," I told him as I settled back against his side.

"You're a prisoner on this ship. You'll not be getting away on my watch, I have to keep an eye on you so you don't try to get off of the ship," Jack said.

I rolled my eyes. "Everyone knows that I'd never try to get away.""If I told them that you tried to get away do you think they'd believe me or you?" Jack asked.

"Me."

Jack chuckled darkly and nodded. "You're probably right."

"I am right," I told him.

We were silent and the ship started to move again, fast on the ocean's waters. The crew was quiet for the most part and not much passed that day.

At lunch Jack held onto me and didn't let me go anywhere, not that I minded. What I did mind was the fact that the atmosphere in the room had changed. There was a lot more resentment in the air and I was almost sure it was toward me.

I tried my best to ignore it and pay attention to what Jack was doing, but it wasn't the best way to escape the feeling of the jealous pirates.

Finally lunch was over and we went back to the deck and everyone got back to work. I felt the eyes on my back and looked to Jack to help me. He was glaring at most of the crew who was staring up at us.

When he caught me looking at him he smiled down at me, but continued to glare out at the crew.

"Just ignore them, Sammi. It's the best way to deal with this," Jack told me.

"Of course," I replied, but it was hard to ignore when these people had been my friends the day before and now hated me.

Jack's arm tightened around my waist and I leaned against him with a sigh.

"Tomorrow I think I'm going to work again," I said.

I didn't know what I expected of him, but I didn't expect him to shake his head. "Not a good idea."

"Why not?" I asked, if they were mad that I wasn't working then wouldn't it help if I started working again?

"Sammi, they're just mad about the attention. They'll still be mad. Best to stay away from 'em and let 'em cool down a bit before going back out there," Jack suggested.

"Won't that just keep them angry?" I asked.

"No," Jack answered.

I was sure that going back out there was a good idea, but Jack knew his crew and I would listen to him. There was only one slight problem. He didn't want me with them, but I slept among them all down in the crew's quarters. I didn't tell him that, though. This is something I wanted to confront and I'd do it the only time I could.

At dinner I sat beside Jack and Joe. Joe, it seemed, was one of the few who still liked me and he took up his seat to my left dutifully. He ignored all the others and acted like nothing had changed, which was fine with me.

"How's you're knives training?" Joe asked as Jack spoke in hushed whispers to Gibbs.

"It's fine, I mean I suck. But other than that it's going great," I told him.

He smiled. "You'll get it eventually."

I shrugged, I didn't really mind if I did or didn't learn them.

Annamaria sat across from me and shook her head.

"What?" I asked.

She sighed at me. "Nothing."

"What is it?" I asked.

The other girl rolled her eyes. "I'll tell you some other time, maybe. Not now."

I let the subject rest, if she didn't tell me later than I would force it from her and bother her then. For now I'd wait and let the curiosity suffer a little with Joe and Annamaria for the rest of dinner was fun, but afterward I went to practice with Jack. Eyes burned holes into my back and the room got silent as we left and I sighed, the only noise made as we walked out the door.

"I don't think ignoring this is going to work," I told Jack as we started to practice.

"Don't step there," he replied.

Glancing down at my footwork, I changed my stance and went at him again. "Come on, you have to have some idea what to do about it."

"Look up, Sammi," Jack commanded.

My head snapped up in response and I blocked an attack right before it hit me. "Well at least talk to me," I pleaded.

"I am," Jack said.

"No, you're not. You're talking at me and I don't appreciate it," I told him.

He didn't say anything.

"Jack!" I cried out at last.

His eyes met mine and he slowed his movements. "What do you want me to say?" he asked.

I dropped my arms and looked at him. "Tell me something, anything. Help me out here," I pleaded. "This isn't exactly something I'm used to."

"I don't know what you want me to do for you, this isn't something that normally happens to me either," Jack replied.

Rolling my eyes, I felt anger seeping into my mind. "Well I could use some help, you're the one who knows everything about pirates. I'm just some prisoner here," I snapped.

"That's not what I meant and you know it. Stop twisting my words because your angry," Jack told me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, I shouldn't be getting angry. The last time I was angry I ended up in the brig and on an island with several dead men.

"I'm going to bed," I announced.

Jack said nothing as I put away my knives and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me. My anger was almost unrational, but I couldn't help the feeling as it caved in around me.

It was him and not me, that much I knew. He couldn't at least let me try to talk to people, to work again? All he was doing was making people even more mad when I knew I could make it better.

I sighed and laid down on my hammock beside Annamaria and Gibbs. There was nothing to do about it now, but I knew no matter what he said that I would go back to work the next day. Whether Jack allowed it or not, and even if I didn't help that much, I wouldn't be standing next to him at the helm getting glared at constantly.

My eyes drifted closed and I focused intently on the sounds of the crew's snores. Odd to think that it used to bug me, now the silence would probably kill me. I couldn't hold out much longer and my mind grew foggy quickly as I fell to sleep.

**For the first time **in a long time my dreams were not happy and they sure weren't nonexistent. _They started out like my normal nightmares, with my sisters. They were yelling at me again, angry that I'd left them to sail with a pirate. Rosie and Maybelle, Isabelle and Emma, they were all there. Even the ones who I knew I'd never see again were there to scream at me. _

_The yelling lasted a long time before the dream started to change. Slowly my sister's forms turned from girls to men. They turned into the crew of the Black Pearl. Then Jack was there too, his arm around my waist. _

"_Just ignore 'em, Sammi," the dream Jack told me._

_I watched in horror as the men crowded around us, swords pulled out and ready to be used. Annamaria was off to the side shaking her head at me._

"_I told you, Sam. I told you bad things would happen if you got involved with Jack Sparrow," Annamaria said._

_Tears slipped down my cheeks as I tried to back away. _

"_No! I didn't do anything to you! I wanted to help you!" I cried._

_I couldn't get away, Jack's arm like a vise around my waist, keeping me in place so that I couldn't get away from them._

_Joe looked at me with a crazed look in his eyes and he held a gun to my head._

"_Goodnight," he whispered._

I woke with a start, falling off hammock in a heap on the floor. My face felt wet and as I raised my hand I noticed that I was crying. Everyone around me was still asleep, not trying to kill me. I took a shuddery breath to try and steady myself.

If I went on deck I knew that the sky would be a light black, not yet dawn. The sun would be waiting to rise even as I made my way out of the crew's quarters. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to go on deck ahead of time today. What would be the point if I was going to meet Jack? He was sure to say something annoying again.

After deliberating for a moment I sighed and picked myself up off the floor. I needed to be on deck when the sun rose, it was something I just couldn't pass up.

I got dressed quickly and then made my way up the stairs and into the cool morning air, leaving the snores of the others behind me. The deck was perfectly still, no one was out here except for me.

As I predicted, the sun hadn't risen yet and I had time to relax before anyone would get up to start the day. The only thing I hoped for now was that Jack didn't come on deck and try to talk to me. I just didn't think I could deal with it at the moment.

My thoughts wandered, why was it that one moment he was utterly amazing and the next I wanted to murder him? Why did he always have to ruin things? Why did I have to? I sighed, this wasn't what I wanted.

Jack's POV

Jack sat on his bed. He knew that Sammi was probably out there now, just on the other side of his door. He also knew that she wouldn't want to see him. And she had good reason not to.

There wasn't a reason that she could see to keep the crew angry with her. But Jack knew all the reasons behind it. He couldn't have his crew getting attached to the girl. She was just a girl after all.

"_Jack, what are you thinking?" _little Jack asked.

Jack looked down at himself, not at all disturbed by its presence.

"I'm just making them all get away from her a little, give some space between the crew and the girl," Jack answered.

"_And what about you Jackie?" _the smaller Jack asked.

"What about me?" Jack asked.

"_You're falling for her."_

Jack shook his head. "Am not."

"_I'm you, I know what you're doing Jack," _it said.

Jack picked it up between his thumb and pointer-finger. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, _I_ know what I'm doing."

The tiny Jack rolled his eyes. _"Don't screw this up, Jackie. Not this one," _it whispered.

Then the smaller version of himself seemed to evaporate and disappeared. Jack knew that he would have to make it right with Sammi, it was that or be pestered by himself until he actually did that.

The sun still wasn't up yet and Jack stood up, swaggering to the door like his normal self, but he didn't feel normal at all. He knew that he was going to have to do some explaining for the way he'd acted and he still wasn't sure why himself. Maybe it would be best if he put it off for a while.

"_I don't think so Jack," _his voice whispered from beside his ear.

When Jack looked over no one was there and he knew that it wouldn't go away unless he did what it said. He made a face, then strutted out of the room and onto the deck.

Sammi was standing at the rail like she always did and Jack's eyes landed on her, the first thing he saw. He knew what he had to do, yet somehow at the last minute he talked himself out of it.

"_Don't be a coward, Jackie," _the voice told him.

Jack looked down on the other him. "Just until I figure out why I was acting the way I was," he whispered back.

Then he flicked the figure from him and turned in a new direction, toward the front of the ship. He couldn't talk to her, it wasn't like him to apologize or anything close to it and he wasn't going to start now. After all, he was a pirate and simple girls meant nothing to one who was as bound to the sea as he was.

But Jack knew right there that it was a lie. This girl meant something, and she wasn't some simple brainless orphan girl. She was Sammi, the girl who fought in battles with pirates and watched grown men get shot without even blinking. It was the girl who listened intently to all his stories and didn't want anything more from him than to hear the ending.

Suddenly Jack shook his head. It wasn't right to think of Sammi that way, he shouldn't do it. These thoughts were dangerous because you couldn't become attached to anyone when your life was dedicated to the sea. Not when you were always on the lookout for some new treasure to go after. But he'd already admitted that he liked her. What was wrong with saying all the good things about her?

Jack stood at the helm, brooding over it all as the sun rose. Sammi didn't approach him and he didn't expect her to. Finally the crew made their way onto the deck and started to get the ship going. He watched as Sammi went to work as normal and gradually the crew accepted her back as part of them. They didn't seem mad at all about anything she had done and that surprised him.

Before long she was smiling with Gibbs and Anna, and Jack caught himself smiling at the sight. He sighed and pulled his eyes from her to focus on the waters before them. Pulling out his compass, he watched the needle spin. It stopped at her again.

Jack snapped the lid over it and stared out at the open sea. He didn't want her the most, he wanted the treasure, that was it. That had to be the reason the compass pointed to the girl. Though he told himself that, and even though he tried, he didn't believe the lie. He liked the girl, more than he knew was right.

When lunch came around he sat by Gibbs like he normally did. Sammi sat at the opposite end of the table with Joe and Annamaria. They laughed and talked loudly, like they would have if it were any normal day.

"Gibbs," Jack said.

"Aye Cap'n," Gibbs replied immediately.

"We need to stop at the next port for supplies," Jack ordered.

Gibbs gave him a look. "We just stopped for supplies, Cap'n."Jack glared. "We won't be stopping for a long while and we'll be needing extra provisions. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No Cap'n, I'll tell the crew right away," Gibbs answered.

Jack nodded curtly and stole a glance down the table at Sammi, she was still smiling, her eyes shining. He shook his head quickly. Not what he needed to think about. The only reason he liked her was because of the treasure, that's what he kept telling himself.

Sam's POV

I laughed with Annamaria and Joe. For some reason I felt light, happy. It wasn't because I had just gotten into a fight with Jack, I was sure about that. But maybe it had something to do with the fact that the crew seemed to take me back with open arms, happy to have me working with them again.

Every now and then I would steal a look at the captain, just to see what he was doing, but for the most part I stayed away from him. That seemed to be a good idea to the both of us because he didn't confront me at all.

This morning I almost thought he would, but then he'd stopped and turned in the other direction. That was okay with me. At the moment it had stung, but I got over it quickly. I was okay without talking to him.

After lunch I went out to the deck with the rest of the crew. I worked with Gibbs and he told me that we were headed to the next port to get supplies for a long trip. He said that Jack was acting very strange and I believed it. The captain seemed to be very out of it, but that could've just been the way we had been two days prior.

When dinner rolled around I stood against the wall farthest from Jack. Though I was okay with him, I didn't want to talk to him right now. Then I remembered knives practice. And as much as I didn't like Jack, I loved practicing even more. For this I would talk to him for.

I ended my conversation with Will and moved over to him, hoping that he wouldn't be openly rude to me.

"Um, Jack?" I asked as I got closer.

His eyes turned to me and I almost didn't know what to say.

"Sammi?" he returned.

"Are we still doing knives practice?" I asked.

He stared up at me for a moment and it seemed like he was deliberating what to say, or having a conversation with himself.

"Do you want to continue practice?" he asked.

I didn't want to tell him how much I wanted it, but it was hard to contain the enthusiasm. "Yes," I answered.

Jack shrugged. "After dinner," he said.

Nodding once, I turned around and walked back to Will and Cotton. It seemed like they'd gotten into a conversation with someone else while I was away. Well, really only Will did, Cotton didn't speak.

Dinner lasted a while more and I got into the discussion with the pirates before I was called off for practice. No one looked our way as we walked out of the room to the practice room. My knives were where I left them on the floor.

Jack didn't say anything as I gathered my things and started to get ready to fight. He nodded once and then we started the trail and error process that was normal for us.

Except it wasn't normal, not this time. Jack didn't say anything and fought as though I were a true opponent. I had to dodge a few fatal blows and think quickly to get away from him. Neither of us spoke as he went at me.

Finally I couldn't take it any longer, my arms were weak and my breathing was labored. I would be killed if I didn't stop it now. Throwing my arm out in front of my face I screamed for him to stop.

A searing pain on my arm caused me to gasp. I looked up at Jack as he dropped his knives to the ground. We both turned our attention to my arm at the same time and I saw the red blood oozing from my wound.

"Not good," I heard Jack mutter.

**I snapped my head **up in his direction, trying to ignore the red liquid dripping steadily down my arm. His eyes were studying the scene before him quickly, his lips pulled downward. The knives he'd been using were on the floor by his feet.

Jack went to grab my arm and I pulled away from him.

"You have to put pressure on that, Sammi," Jack told me.

"I know that. What do you think you're doing?" I asked.

He opened his mouth to say something, thought better of it, and closed it again. Jack shook his head. "Nothing, nothing."

My right arm was holding tight to the wounded one and I held them both close to me as if that would help.

"Let me help you clean that up," Jack said.

I looked at him wearily, but nodded my head. This wasn't something I could easily do on my own and there was no other option.

Jack led the way back upstairs and into his room. He nodded at the bed, "Sit."

I did as I was told, almost numb. Even though I was mad at him I didn't expect Jack to ever hurt me. He'd killed a guy who was going to hurt me. I'd thought of him as someone who would keep me safe even if I was angry with him. I guess he didn't think like that anymore.

My eyes strayed around the room as Jack went about collecting supplies to fix my cut. I stopped looking around when I found the map. It was so tempting to look at, to see for myself. But what would the point be? It couldn't do me any good.

Jack seated himself in front of me on a wooden chair that he'd pulled over from his desk. Then he got to work, grabbing my arm and clearing away the blood. I didn't pay attention to what he was doing, still thinking about the map.

He didn't let anyone look at it, not even Gibbs. There had to be some reason that he didn't show the crew. It would make me feel better to know that I'd done something he wouldn't like after all he'd done.

Suddenly I gasped, yanking my arm back to myself.

"Sorry, sorry," Jack said quickly.

There was a bottle of something in his hands and I eyed it.

"It's to help with infection, it'll help," Jack explained.

I glared at him, but put my arm back within his reach, watching him as he worked so that he couldn't do anything to surprise me. We didn't talk, the room was silent. I don't do well with silence often.

A song popped into my head and immediately I started to hum it softly. It wasn't like he was going to talk to me anyway.

"What are you humming?" Jack asked without looking up.

I stopped at once.

"It was just a question," he said.

I sighed, "It's a song my mother used to sing to us before she died."

Jack was quiet and I was glad he didn't push it farther. As it was, I wanted to yell at him for denying that he killed her. The emotion surprised me, I thought I'd gotten over that, or at least used to it. There was a lot that I'd thought wrong about.

When he was done I looked up at him, intending on at least saying thank you. But he'd already gotten up and was clearing everything away. He didn't even look at me.

"Jack," I said.

"Hm?" he replied.

"Thanks for helping me with my arm," I told him.

He turned back to face me. "Why are you thanking me? I'm the one who hurt you."

His eyes were blazing and I didn't want to upset him further. My head lowered, I was stung that he wouldn't just say your welcome and be done with it.

"Sorry, I won't thank you anymore," I said.

I stood and left the room, leaving Jack alone. The crew's quarters was a good place to be when I was upset. All the snores from everyone else was comforting and I was able to drift to sleep easily, though my dreams were nightmares once more.

Jack's POVJack cleaned up all the things he'd needed when he fixed Sammi's arm and he silently cursed himself for being so stupid. When they'd been practicing he'd just gotten so angry and then he didn't even realize when she was getting tired. He wasn't even giving her tips. It was surprising she lasted as long as she did.

Then she'd had enough and she threw her arms up, but he didn't notice quick enough and he hurt her when he didn't mean to. The way her face contorted in shock, then pain was burned into his mind. Jack couldn't picture something worse.

She was obviously realizing that Jack Sparrow wasn't someone who would keep you safe like she once imagined. By now Sammi probably hated him.

Jack sighed, this was what was supposed to happen. She was supposed to put distance between them. But if this is what he wanted, then why did it seem like it was the worst thing that could happen?He sat on his bed and looked around the room. His eyes landed on the map. Everything that had happened in his life revolved around the map. Not directly sometimes, sometimes it didn't even seem like it could relate. But when it came down to it, the map was behind everything.

"_You're going to pick treasure over a girl?" _another Jack asked. This one was life-size, swaggering around the room.

"_You're going to let a few measly pieces of gold ruin your chances with the girl of your dreams?" _it asked.

Jack didn't know how to respond. "It's not just a few measly pieces of gold, mate. A lot more than that is held down there."

"_You'll lose her Jack. Tell her the truth, then see what she thinks," _the other Jack said.

Jack shook his head. "No, I'll not be doing that. If I do that, then she'll find a way off the ship and then I won't ever have a chance at that treasure."

The other Jack sighed and looked at him with something like pity in his eyes. _"You'll lose her."_

The other Jack disappeared and Jack himself was left alone. It wasn't like he cared if he lost some girl. He was Jack Sparrow, he could get any other girl simply by saying his name.

He laid back on his bed and closed his eyes. The image of her staring at him accusingly, the blood dripping down her arm came to the surface of his mind and he saw her again as if she were standing before him. Jack shuddered, he wouldn't think about Sammi anymore.

Blackness didn't come for a long time, but when it did Jack welcomed it with open arms, waiting for the embrace of sleep to take him away.

**Sam's POVMy eyes snapped **open, the dream had been horrific on so many levels. Jack had murdered me, took his knives and killed me. It was one of the worst I'd had since I came on this ship. Thankfully no one had woken from my restless mutterings.

I rolled out of the hammock and planted my feet firmly on the floor. Now that I was in the real world my dream seemed somewhat silly. Jack did hurt me the night before, but he'd helped me afterward. It was an accident.

Everyone was still quiet as I went about my normal morning routine of getting dressed and going up to the deck. I was alone, no Jack about today. It was fine with me, I liked being alone.

The waves rocked the ship in an ominous way and the Pearl creaked eerily. If I wasn't so sure that my dream was still haunting me I would've seen what was coming. Wind blew my hair away from my face and the sea crashed more violently against the ship.

It felt like a storm. Last time Jack and I fought there was a storm and I was thrown overboard, that wouldn't happen this time.

Clouds were churning in the sky, a dark grey color and the sun was missing from the morning. I heard thunder in the distance and knew that it was going to be just as bad or worse than the last time. Suddenly a bang broke through my examination of the weather and I spun around to see Jack coming out of his room, his door slamming closed behind him.

He swaggered out onto the deck with an even more stumbling walk than usual and as he came past me I could smell the unmistakable odor of rum on him. I wrinkled my nose and cringed away from him, not liking that he was either drunk or hung-over. Jack brushed past me and continued up to the helm, where he finally looked out over the ocean.

"There'll be a storm coming," he muttered to himself.

I looked away from him, not wanting to be caught staring. The crew could be heard making their normal morning sounds as they woke and stumbled onto the deck. As they took in the angry atmosphere the storm created, they looked to Jack for instruction.

"We'll sail until we can't anymore," Jack said. "I want to make it to the port before this storm hits us."

The crew started mumbling to themselves, but they got to work without questioning him and I heard Jack talk quietly to himself.

"Or at least before it's over," he whispered.

I sighed, this was going to be one terrible storm if he was making us work in it.

"Sammi!" Jack called.

I looked up at him, not sure what he wanted of me.

"As soon as it starts to rain, you are to be below deck," he ordered.

My mouth fell open in shock. "No!" I cried.

He fixed me with a cool gaze and replied. "I'm the captain and what I say goes. Below deck with you….And ye can take somebody else with you," he added as an afterthought.

I huffed angrily but knew there was no use in arguing with him when he pulled the 'I'm captain' bit.

"I'm not going until it actually starts to storm," I told him.

Jack rolled his eyes, we were both stubborn and I didn't want to have to go down there before it was absolutely necessary.

"Fine," he answered curtly. Then he turned and moved back to the helm.

I got to work with everyone else, finding a place beside Joe and Cotton. It seemed like Joe was becoming one of my best friends fast on this ship. I only had so many friends to begin with anyway.

An idea was pressing into my thoughts, taking control of all my mind. The idea of looking at Jack's map was too tempting now that I'd thought of it. I had to see the map for myself. After an hour of working, I got away from the crowd of working men.

Everyone was eating lunch. We only had half an hour because Jack wanted to be back out there and have us working, but half an hour would be enough for me. The time came when I was given the chance to leave and I took it.

"I'm going to lay down for a sec," I announced to whoever cared to listen.

The only thing I paused for was to be sure that Jack was still sitting with Gibbs, talking about something. Then I made my way out of the galley and out onto the deck. I quickly crossed the empty space and opened Jack's door.

Even though I knew that I couldn't possibly get caught, I was sure that any moment would be the last and they would find me. I closed the door behind me and turned to Jack's quarters. I knew the place vaguely, enough to know where all I needed was.

Immediately I went to work, finding the map. It wasn't even hidden, but sitting out on his desk, open. My eyes wandered over the drawings quickly, but the title caught my eye.

Across the top was written in big black letters, **Mason Family Treasure**. I gasped softly, my last name was Mason. My breathing quickened, it couldn't be my family, it couldn't be.

Denial ran through me as I took in the words. I felt my head shaking, but it didn't register that I was actually doing it. My face was wet and it took me a few moments to realize that I was crying.

Did Jack know? Is that why he brought me here? Because this was my family treasure? I didn't even know about it. Was everything I'd ever thought about him a charade? It must be.

I felt the air getting sucked into my lungs as I gasped, he couldn't know. A noise from below deck broke through my sobbing and I straightened out, I couldn't let him know that I knew. What would he do?

Quickly, I wiped at my cheeks and forced the tears to stop. I was always good at that, I could fake that I liked Jack and would until I could get off the ship or talk to Jack about it. I don't know what I'd say to him, but I could do it.

One last deep breath and then I forced myself to act normal. My world was spinning on the inside, but on the outside I knew I looked just like I did on any other day. I quietly left the room and walked back down to the galley. Jack wouldn't know that I knew.

After lunch we got back to work, the storm present in all of our minds.

The rain didn't come as soon as we thought it would, but when it hit, it hit hard. The raindrops fell big and fat, hitting us fast. Thunder rumbled loudly and the wind picked up, forcing the waves to crash violently around us. All within a few moments, the storm had taken over everything.

"Sammi!" I heard someone yell.

My head snapped up and I saw Jack searching the deck. When he located me, I saw relief plainly written across his face. Maybe he did care still. But I wiped that thought out of my mind as soon as I remembered the map.

"Below deck," he ordered.

I gave one quick nod and spun on my heel. Now that it was actually raining, I didn't want to be out here anyway. I remembered all too clearly the last time I was thrown overboard in a storm. There was no way I was letting that happen again and gladly obeyed Jack's command.

The ship rocked in the waves and I stumbled through the rain and mass of men who were working to keep the Pearl on track. Finally I made it to the stairs and fell down them, reaching the bottom in less time than normal. I was already soaked completely, the rain had drenched my hair and through my clothes. Now I worked to get farther into the ship, the rain was getting to where I stood and I was starting to shiver now that there was no need to do anything else. My mind was focusing in on more unpleasant things and I made my way to the crew's quarters.

From above, I could hear the shouts of the men and the steady thrum of rain on the deck, footsteps overhead, and thunder booming loudly. It all seemed so far away, I could hardly register that it was clearly so present. If it weren't for the constant rocking and violent swaying of the ship, I would've thought that it was all some kind of dream that was completely unreal.

But I knew that it wasn't unreal and that above me, the ship was being thrown about and people were almost getting thrown overboard. Just like last time. Then again, maybe it wasn't right for Jack to have sent me down here, if everyone else was out there, then shouldn't I be too?There wasn't time to think about that though, the ship rocked to one side and threw me into a wall. I stumbled toward the crew's quarter's for some unknown reason.

When I made it there, I simply curled myself into a ball in a corner. The storm was throwing the Pearl around constantly and as a result, I was being thrown around as well. It was difficult enough to keep my balance in the corner, let alone be standing on the deck like everyone else was.

Eventually I fell asleep against the walls, the sounds of the storm still ringing in my ears. I wouldn't have believed I could sleep, but somehow I managed it. My dreams consisted of plenty of rain and the sounds of a storm. They all turned out to be nightmares in the end, with either me or one of the crew members dying.

The worst ones were when Jack himself died. It was always my fault in the dreams, too. I was always the cause of my friend's deaths.

**When I woke the rain **had stopped and I didn't feel the ship moving at all. Jack was looking down at me, trying to wake me up.

"Are you awake?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes at him and sat up. "Did anyone go overboard?" I asked.

He shook his head and for a moment I forgot that we were fighting and that Jack didn't feel the same way I felt about him and I completely forgot about the map. For just a moment we were happy again, then Joe came down the stairs and everything came back to me.

"Sam! What are you doing down there?" Joe asked as he came to stand beside Jack.

"It was a lot easier to keep balanced if I stayed right here," I answered with a smile.

Jack was shifting uneasily, as if he too just remembered that we weren't on good terms anymore. "Well, we've docked and I am going ashore. If you'd be so kind as to watch the ship tonight, Sammi," Jack said.

Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and left the room. I could hear him on the stairs in the quiet, then I looked back at Joe."We got here?" I asked.

Joe nodded and suddenly he smiled again. "Yep, I wanted to take you on shore, but it looks like the captain has other ideas," he said.

I sighed, Jack had to keep me on the ship whenever we were docked, didn't he? Joe led me up to the deck and we sat for a while in the crow's nest, but after a few hours he decided he needed a drink and he left me.

Then I was alone on the ship, everyone gone to get their share of drinks and other things I didn't want to know about. The quiet was annoyingly loud in my ears and in my head I started to think of the stories Jack had told me when he still liked me and I still liked him, the map still completely out of the picture.

An hour later I was still alone and I was sweating terribly. The sun was finally starting to sink down below the waters and my eyelids were starting to droop. Nothing had happened and nothing would happen, there was no point in staying awake.

Still, I tried to force my eyes to stay open. That's when I glanced out at the water again, and saw a ship with too familiar sails. It was the ship from Singapore.

My heart raced and I was no longer tired, but I had no clue what I was supposed to do. I couldn't do nothing, but I wasn't supposed to leave the ship. No one was there and I couldn't fight them by myself, it wouldn't work. Climbing down from the crow's nest and onto the deck, I looked over the edge to see Will walking up the dock toward the Pearl.

"Will!" I gasped.

His eyes snapped up and he met my gaze.

"Cordurey…Ship," I breathed quickly.

Will nodded once, then spun around on his heel. He turned back to me before he could get too far away. "Stay," he commanded. "And hide if they come on the ship."

I wasn't sure what he was telling me this, but I agreed, feeling that he was demanding it for a reason.

Then he was gone and I ran back to the other side of the deck to see Cordurey's ship growing ever larger as it got closer to the small port. I could do nothing but watch as they got nearer and nearer.

The crew from the other ship was yelling, they sounded excited and they swung onto the Pearl with ease. I made a mad dash for someplace to hide as they invaded our ship. The only place I could think of was Jack's room and it was all I had time for.

With that in mind, I ran into Jack's quarter's and slammed the door shut, trying desperately to find something to block it until the rest of the crew got here. I grabbed a chair that was sitting by the deck and shoved it under the handle. It wouldn't last long, but it would do for now. They were loud as they came crashing through the Pearl, looking for something unknown to me. Then I could hear another noise, the clash of swords, the sounds of fighting. The crew was back. I felt relief flood through me as I listened to them fight.

Something knocked against the door. The relief that had filled me was gone, and in its place was a feeling of dread and utter horror. My small block wouldn't hold long against the insistent pounding.

My body was shaking as the door burst open, but I got ready to fight. It was the Captain himself, grinning gleefully down at me. "And what do we have here?" he growled.

He took a step closer and I backed away, making him grin wider.

"I'm not here to hurt you, just want something of an old friend's," Cordurey said.

I didn't move, my breathing relaxing as I fell into the easy routine of fighting.

"No? Not going to let me through?" he asked. "Then I guess I'll just have to make you move, lad."

That brought me up short, shocked me into not moving. He thought I was a boy, part of Jack's crew. I had to keep up the charade.

Cordurey drew his sword and pointed it at me, raising his head as if daring me to fight against him. I mimicked his movements, grabbing my own sword and getting ready to battle him. I knew that if I had to fight him I would lose. There was no way I could win against him when he was such an even match to Jack. But even if I would lose, I would still fight him because he couldn't get past me to the map.

Our swords clashed loudly and we moved together, like when I practiced with Jack. But this wasn't like practicing with Jack, if I made a wrong move he would kill me. I lunged at him, knowing that I would have to kill him before he did the same to me.

That's when his sword swung up and the hat I had placed on my head tumbled to the ground, my hair falling about my face. Cordurey stopped his movements and so did I, unsure what he would make of the fact that I was a girl.

What he did surprised me, he grinned. Then he laughed loudly and lowered his sword completely. I kept my own sword raised, staring intently at the man who had tried to kill me moments before.

Cordurey kept smiling. "Old Jack found you," he said.

The pirate captain shook his head, but the smile never left his face. "He actually did it," he said.

The sound of someone crashing against the door reminded him that we were still on the Pearl and his grin faltered slightly. He laughed again.

Without warning his sword was up and crashing down again on my blade beside my hand. On impulse, I dropped my sword and it clattered to the ground noisily.

"Let's go, lassie," he said.

He lunged for me in the same instant that I took a step back. Cordurey was just too fast, though. He grabbed me and even though I struggled, he was too strong and he pulled me out of Jack's room and toward the edge of the ship.

I tried desperately to shout, to get away, anything, but I couldn't do it. The noise of everyone else fighting was too loud and Cordurey was stronger than I was. He dragged me to the rail and then grabbed around my waist, lifting me into the air.

We sailed through the air and then landed on the other ship. Finally a loud, piercing scream burst from me. It didn't last long because the captain put his hand over my mouth, but it was good enough. The battle paused and every single man looked at the ship.

The fighting started up again and I was pulled and pushed and prodded across the deck and down some stairs. We moved down them quickly and then he was making me walk again, still deeper into the ship. His sword was pointed at my back the entire time.

When we stopped it was outside the ship's brig. Cordurey opened the door and shoved me roughly into the cell, quickly closing me in.

"Don't even try to get out," he warned.

With that said, he turned and ran back up the stairs toward the fighting. I could scarcely hear the battle from where I was and it was so dark. It felt like I'd landed in some kind of other world, dark and lonely with only faint sounds of people to taunt me with what I couldn't have.

Soon the sounds of battle stopped and I heard nothing, the darkness closed in around me and I closed my eyes.

**Jack's POVJack paced **the deck of the Pearl. He couldn't believe what had happened. He'd been so worried that she'd leave if she ever found out the secret, now that seemed silly in comparison to the fact that he might never get her back. So what if she left? At least that was of her own free will.

He couldn't forget what she looked like as she struggled on the deck of the other ship. He had been fighting with two pirates at the same time, taking down both quite easily, when she screamed. It was the worst thing he could imagine.

When he'd looked up her eyes were full of fear and she was trying to get out of Cordurey's grasp. As soon as he saw her Jack knew what had happened. The other captain had gone in search of the map and instead had found Sammi, hiding in his room.

She would have fought him, but in the end Cordurey was stronger than her and instead of taking the map he took the girl, settling for the second most valuable thing on the ship for the moment. He would come back, later when he knew that Jack wouldn't take Sammi back, but for now he would be happy with the girl.

Jack growled at the thought of Sammi in the hands of that man, his Sammi. He hadn't realized how much he'd grown to like her, how much he craved her company and wanted her to be safe.

"Where to, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked, interrupting his thoughts.

Jack looked at his first mate for a few seconds, then pulled out his compass. "What do you want most, Jackie?" he muttered to himself.

The needle spun quickly, gaining speed every second, then stopped. It was pointing out at the open sea. Jack grinned triumphantly, he would get her back.

"That way, Gibbs," he said as he pointed the direction the needle was.

His first mate nodded and gave orders to the crew. They were mostly unharmed, with only minor cut and bruises to show for the affair.

Jack would get her back no matter what happened.

"_What will you tell her about the map?" _his other self asked.

He sighed, he hadn't gotten that far in his planning. "I won't tell her anything, I'll ditch the map somewhere and we'll go after some other treasure," Jack said.

The other Jack nodded, _"As long as Cordurey doesn't tell her about it first."_

Jack froze, he hadn't thought the other captain would tell her, then again he did if the little Jack was telling him about it. If Cordurey told Sammi about the map and the treasure and her part in all of it, then what would he do? She wouldn't forgive him, of that he was certain.

He sighed and closed his eyes, this wasn't going the way he planned. Jack never wanted to fall for the girl, he never wanted to think of her as anything more than the way to the treasure he'd needed for so long. Somehow she did it, though. She made him fall for something that wasn't the sea and it wasn't gold. And now that it happened, he wasn't giving it up quite so easily.

Jack looked out over the water and watched it, glancing down at his compass every few minutes just to make sure he was on the right path. He would bring her back to the Pearl, tell her everything he'd ever kept from her and then he'd let her decide. If Sammi wanted to go, he would let her, but if she wanted to stay…Jack didn't let himself hope.

They sailed and he kept his eye out for the other ship, but they didn't see anything that night.

"Jack, they need to rest," Will said as he came to stand at the helm, he was almost falling asleep himself.

But Jack didn't listen to him, he couldn't. "No," he replied. "We're not leaving her."

Will didn't know what to say and he backed off, walking toward the deck to relay the message to the rest of the crew.

Jack knew that they needed sleep, but he didn't care. They could hold, they would hold out for just a little while longer until they found her.

Sam's POV

I waited for something, anything to come and tell me something. I didn't even understand why I was here. Nobody told me what the point was and it sucked. There was no point in trying to sleep, I was too accustom to the crew's snoring and I wouldn't be able to in this prison anyway.

That's when I realized that I missed the Pearl. Even being captive in its brig was better than being aboard this ship where the crew was rotten and the captain was worse. And then I realized that more than the Pearl, I missed it's crew. The men who had been my friends for so long, Gibbs, Cotton, Joe, Will. Annamaria didn't count as one of the guys, but she was a better friend than anyone could hope for I knew.

As I thought of the crew and what must surely have happened on the ship, I wondered if they would come for me. Would Jack allow them to come and follow me? Even if I was angry, I sincerely hoped so. It didn't matter if Jack was after my family's treasure, it didn't involve me.

Thinking about the captain of the Pearl made me realize that I missed Jack. Again, my feelings surprised me, but there was no use for it, I missed Captain Jack Sparrow. He never hurt me on purpose and it wasn't like he ever meant to. He probably didn't even knew that I was related to the man who left the treasure there.

Someone came down the stairs and I looked up to see Captain Cordurey grinning down at me.

"Hello, lass," he said as he came to a stop outside the cell door.

I glared at him and said nothing, but his grin bugged me to no end.

"What? Not gonna talk to me?" he asked. Then he brought out a key ring, holding it up before me as if taunting me.

"I'm gonna let you out now," he said slowly. "And if you so much as think about running, I'll stab my sword through your tiny little stomach."

He held my eyes as he said this and I swallowed nervously. I nodded.

Cordurey smiled wide and unlocked the cell door, opening it and gesturing for me to exit the small place. He put the knife to my back.

"Come with me," he ordered.

I didn't have time to answer as he pushed the small blade into my back and made me walk forward. We walked back up the stairs and onto the deck. The Black Pearl was nowhere to be seen anywhere on the unending seas.

"Move," Cordurey demanded and pressed the knife into my back harder.

With a gasp I continued to walk forward until we came to a door. The pirate captain reached past me and opened the door, forcing me to walk in before him.

When we entered the room, I saw it was the captain's quarters, like Jack's but not as welcoming. I wanted to turn and run from the room, but he already was closing the door and turning back to look at me.

"What is you're name?" he asked.

Why did he need my name, I wondered. "Sam," I choked out, deathly afraid of this man who had kidnapped me.

"Sam what?" he asked.

My mind was blank. I couldn't tell him my last name, he would know. But didn't he already know? Wasn't he just looking for something that would tell him he was right about his theory? There was no point in hiding the truth if he already knew it. Still, I didn't tell him.

"I asked what your last name was," he growled.

I couldn't force myself to answer his question, though.

"Alright, cat got your tongue? Let me refresh your memory. Mason," he said. "Sam Mason."

He was right. "Yes?" he asked. "I thought so."There was nothing to say, so I didn't answer him.

"Now I'm gonna guess that you don't know anything about a certain treasure," Cordurey was saying. "But it can only be gotten to using a Mason's blood. But all other Masons are dead or can't be found. And that, lass, is where you come in."

I stayed quiet because I knew if I opened my mouth all of my questions would come pouring out. Did Jack know about it? Is that why he wanted me? Why he was nice to me at all? Surely the crew didn't know anything, they were too kind to have faked it the entire time.

My head was shaking before I realized it. I wouldn't believe what he was telling me, I wouldn't. Pirates lie, why was this any different? But I couldn't lie to myself, he was telling me the brutally honest truth that would hurt worse than any lie he could manage to come up with.

"Don't go shaking your head, it won't change what is," he was telling me.

I stopped moving my head, but tears were filling my eyes.

Cordurey smiled now that I was back to normal. "Good. Now, I'm gonna need you to help me get to that treasure because as I said, only a Mason can open the door."

I couldn't believe what he was asking of me. He wanted me to hand him over my family treasure? Willingly? My head started to shake back and forth again.

Cordurey grinned wickedly again. "Now you can either do this for me of your own will or I can make you do it. And if I had to force you then I would have to put you in the brig again until we got to the treasure."

He was grinning madly at me as the realization of what was happening sunk in. I could do what he said willingly or he would make me, almost killing me in the process. Slowly, I nodded.

"Good," he said.

Then he walked to the door and opened it, calling for one of the men. "Take her to the empty room. Don't let anyone in and don't let her out. You yourself are forbidden to go in as well," Cordurey ordered.

The man nodded and looked at me. "Come on," he growled roughly.

I followed him out of the captain's quarters and he pulled me along, grabbing my arm in his tight grip. There was no way I'd be able to get away with him blocking the way. I could only hope there was a window in my room.

My hopes died when he opened a door and shoved me into a small space. It seemed more like a storage area than an extra room. There was a hammock off in one corner and it looked like it would fall apart if I sat on it, let alone laid down. Nothing else was in the room, except for the old wood floor, walls, and ceiling.

The room was dark and I didn't last long in trying to stay awake. I drifted in and out of sleep without ever really noticing that I was. No one ever came in to check on me or give me food, but I wasn't even sure how long I was there. I'd slept about three times, if that was anything to go off of, but I doubted it was.

When I wasn't sleeping I was thinking about Jack. Was he really just using me? Is that all he wanted from me? Was he just going to dump me somewhere after he'd gotten what he wanted? This kind of thinking never got me anywhere, though and I ended up falling asleep after thinking so much about questions I would never know the answers to.

Secretly I hoped that Jack would come for me. Even if it was just to get his treasure, I hoped desperately that he would find me like he did when I was lost in the storm. At least I would be out of this tiny little room and I would see him again.

There was no use denying it, I liked Jack. I always had. Now that I knew what he was after I would never forgive him, but I could take a little guilty pleasure in seeing him one last time. It wasn't too much to ask for.

The days and nights stopped having meaning. They started to blend together and I knew that soon I wouldn't know up from down if I didn't get out of the small room. With every passing sleep I grew hungrier. No one ever fed me and I wasn't let out to use the bathroom. I would've preferred to stay in the brig at the rate this was going.

**Jack's POV**

**It had been two days **and Jack hadn't found her yet. Now he was sure that she knew about the treasure and he didn't know what he would tell her when they got to her. All he knew for sure was that they would get to her. And before Cordurey found the treasure.

The rest of the crew knew that Jack wasn't going to give up finding Sam, they had never seen him like he was now. They would've worked twice as hard even if their captain wasn't like this though. Everyone had grown attached to the girl and now that she was gone and possibly in danger, none could relax while their friend was going through unimaginable things.

Jack watched his crew working, then looked down at the compass sitting in his open palm. They were still going in the right direction, but they'd never seen any sight of the ship they were so desperately searching for.

The captain of the Black Pearl had fallen and fallen hard for a girl he was supposed to be using for treasure. But now he didn't even want the treasure. He knew that he'd do anything and go anywhere for her now, but he had to make her see that he'd never meant to hurt her like he knew he did.

He'd been stubborn, like everyone knew he could be, and he didn't see what he had until she was gone. And when she wasn't gone, his subconscious had tried to tell him that he needed to tell her. Jack knew he would have eventually done it, told Sammi all that he was supposed to, but it just wasn't time yet.

Now his time was up and he had to find her and make things right or she would never forgive him. Even if he did get to her and saved her she still probably wouldn't forgive him. He'd done too much wrong.

But he wouldn't linger on that. He'd come to it when the time was right and Sammi would either take him back or he'd spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her.

Suddenly the needle on his compass moved, just slightly to the left and Jack looked up at the water. A grin crept up onto his face at what he saw, the ship that they'd been looking for was finally in sight.

Jack gave orders for every man on the ship to be working and they made their way toward the other ship. They were making better time than ever before and soon they had caught up with Cordurey, coming up next to it in the water.

Though he wanted desperately to sink the other ship and send Cordurey to Davy Jones's locker Jack wasn't sure where Sammi was and ordered than none of his men use the cannons. But cannons were being blasted into his ship and Jack came to a dilemma, his precious ship, or risk Sammi by blowing holes in the other ship?

Jack winced and he knew that he would have to save Sammi. The crew of the Pearl was swinging onto the other ship and Jack made his way to it. There were so many places that a person could be kept on a ship…

One door had a man standing in front of it, he wasn't doing anything, but he had his sword at the ready. It looked like he was guarding it. There was only one thing on this ship that would be worth guarding during a fight, Jack knew for certain.

He started walking toward it, getting caught in small fights but not for long. Then he was there, in front of the man guarding Sammi's door.

Sam's POVI could hear fighting outside my door. The noise had woken me up from one of my naps and now I listened intently. Was it my wishes coming true? My prayers answered? I hoped that was the case.

Then there was a sound outside my door. Like the fighting had escalated so that it was nearer to me. I wondered what would happen if I opened my door. Would my guard still be there?

But I was so weak, I didn't think I'd be able to make it to the door. Lack of food and drink was taking a toll on my strength. And even now, I had gathered some of my strength back because I was happy, but I wasn't strong enough to get to the door.

So I sat there, watching the shadowed door and waited until someone came to let me out or the sounds of the fight died away. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, louder than I thought possible after being malnourished the way I was. But it was there, beating so loud that it hurt my ears and made my head throb.

There was a thump against the door and I jumped back, afraid of what was on the other side. I couldn't defend myself if I had to and there was no hiding spot in the small space they called a room.

Then the door was thrown open and I cringed back into the wall, light pouring down around me. My eyes blinked instinctively, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness that they hadn't seen in days. There, a dark figure stood, surrounded by the blackness. It was Jack Sparrow.

A smile lit up my face as I saw him, the one who I had hoped would come and save me was finally here. Every bad thing he'd ever done to me was forgotten. Every thought he'd had about deceiving me was overlooked, all because he came to save me and I cared too much about him.

Jack strode into the room and looked down at me, still huddled into the corner. There was hardly enough room for him to fit. Then he bent down and lifted me, backing out of the room and into the sun.

All around us was the crew of the Black Pearl and the crew of the other ship who's name I'd never learned. They were fighting just like I'd imagined they would and my crew was winning, Jack's crew. I didn't get a chance to look long, though, Jack was carrying me through the crowd and toward the edge of the ship.

He grabbed a rope and held tightly to it with one hand, and in the other he held me safely to him as if I was about to break. We swung across the water and then landed on the Pearl, Jack taking me across the deck of the ship and into his cabin. He laid me down on his bed and then looked down at me.

"You alright?" he asked.

My eyes never left him, trying to get as much of him as possible after the days of not seeing him. I nodded, afraid that if I spoke he would disappear and I'd wake up in that lonely closet.

Jack eyed me, but then nodded too, turning and leaving the room. He closed the door behind him without saying another word.

After a few minutes he came back, this time with Gibbs and Annamaria. My lips curved into a drunken smile and my eyes were slightly unfocused as I looked up at them all, my friends. I was tired and sleep was coming on me fast.

"Thank you," I choked out, my voice raspy from not using it and the lack of any moisture.

They all seemed to be confused.

"For saving me," I clarified.

That was all I could tell them, though, because as soon as the words were out I was fast asleep on Jack's bed.

**No dreams haunted me, **the sleep was sound and deep. The kind of sleep I was desperately in need of. But all too soon I woke from it, hearing the sounds of someone shuffling around me.

For a moment I simply listened to them walking around. I didn't really want to get up anyway. They moved a bit more and then sat down on the bed beside me. A rough hand took mine and I wondered who it could be.

"Stupid girl," a voice said. "And even stupider me for falling for her."

I could place the voice at once. There would never be a doubt in my mind who the voice belonged to. Of course it was Captain Jack Sparrow.

Jack sighed as I listened to him. "And what will I do about that treasure now?"

When he said this I had to fight to keep my face calm and relaxed, unmoving so that he wouldn't notice I was awake. It was hard, I'd forgotten about the treasure and now I was guessing he was planning to use me the entire time.

My anger was growing, I could feel the heat starting to rise in my face just thinking about it. Jack was going to use me. None of it was ever real. Reality hit hard and I no longer wanted to hear him anymore, to pretend that I was sleeping.

I yanked my hand free of his and jerked upright on the bed. Jack looked at me, startled after he thought I was sleeping. "Get away from me!" I screeched.

My voice was hoarse and the screech was more like a raspy sound.

"Sammi, calm down," Jack said, coming closer to me.

I felt the tears welling up in my eyes, but couldn't stop them as I yelled at him. "You were using me! All you wanted was your stupid treasure and I trusted you!"

With that said I stormed out of the room and raced across the deck, finding the stairs and running down them to find some sort of sanctuary. I ended up in the practicing room, sitting in a corner like the one I wanted to get out of before.

Jack didn't follow me and for that I was grateful. I wanted, no needed to be alone and without him for a while so I could get my head straight.

Did I really hate him? Had he really been using me? So what if he was? I couldn't give an answer to any of my questions, they weren't really for me.

I stayed in the room for a long time, long enough for the hunger pangs to come back and for me to finally want to go back up. Yet every time I thought of going on deck and facing Jack I couldn't do it. I would break and then I would hate myself for giving in to someone who had ruined my entire life.

A few hours later Gibbs came into the room with a tray of food. He sat by me and I let him, there was no point in being angry with _him_. I ate the food quickly and in big bites, not even tasting it and barely chewing.

Gibbs nodded when I finished the tray. "I'll bring you back more later," he said.

He didn't leave me. My friend stayed by my side in the darkness and didn't say a word as more questions came to mind and less answers were found. Maybe Gibbs would have the answers, but I didn't really want to ask and find out.

"You're going to have to face him," Gibbs spoke eventually.

My head turned toward his and I bit my lip. I knew he was right, but I just wanted a few more hours of alone time, just to think about things by myself. Gibbs was waiting for an answer so I shrugged.

"Jack was so worried when he saw that you were kidnapped. Didn't let anyone rest 'til we found ya," he said.

"But he was going to betray me," I whispered. My voice sounded a lot better now that Gibbs had brought me something to drink.

Gibbs furrowed his eyebrows. "How was he going to do that?"

I sighed, so the crew really didn't know. "You heard about the treasure right?" I asked to make sure he knew enough.

"Yeah."

"Well it's my family treasure. It can only be reached if someone uses their blood to open the door. But not just anyone can, it has to be a Mason. Me," I explained.

My friend was quiet for a moment, thinking this new information over. Then he looked back at me.

"I don't think Jack would've ever hurt you," Gibbs said. "He might have been planning to, but he didn't account for falling in love."

I shook my head, Jack Sparrow couldn't love.

Gibbs sighed. "Believe what you will. I'm going back on deck to get some sun and maybe eat a little more. I suggest you do the same and then work out your issues with the Captain."

He got up and left, glancing one more time back in my direction. Then he was gone, out the door and up the stairs to locate something to eat. I knew he was right, but I didn't want to face Jack.

There would be no stopping it, though. So I stood as well and walked across the room, into the hall and up the stairs, just like Gibbs.

On the deck I looked around, but Jack wasn't there. My searching eyes met Gibbs's and he nodded to the captain's quarter's door. I sighed, this was it.

Gathering all my courage, I walked up to the door and knocked once, hoping that he wouldn't hear and I would be allowed to walk away.

"Come in," Jack's muffled voice came.

To myself, I cringed, but opened the door and stalked into his cabin, closing the door behind me.

My eyes landed on Jack Sparrow, laying across his bed. He looked like he would love to stay there his whole life, never moving from his spot.

When his eyes met mine he looked shocked, but he quickly regained his composure and straightened himself out. He changed the way he was laying to make it look a lot more natural and lazy.

"Sammi," Jack greeted.

"Jack," I said.

There was a short pause and I didn't know what to say.

"Why did you come here at all?" Jack asked.

My head snapped up to look at him. "I came here for some answers," I replied, immediately angry at him.

"And what would that be?" he asked.

"Maybe you could tell me why you led me along when you were planning on using my blood and dumping me somewhere. Or you tell me why you had to make me like you, acted like you liked me. You could even explain to me why you lied about everything I ever asked you about," I ranted.

Jack was quiet. "Lots of good questions. Which one do I start with?"

He seemed so lost, so out of place like he didn't know what to do. The emotions seemed very unusual and out of place on such a character. I sighed. "Just tell me the story," I said. "And start from the beginning."

Jack nodded. "It started when we younger then, didn't it?" he questioned.

"Yeah."

"Well, I was living on a ship, The Red Rose, and the captain was letting me stay there as long as I could earn my way. He was a friend of my father's, doing him a favor by keeping me aboard the ship. Kendal Wentworth was his name, but most just called him Ken or Captain.

"He'd heard of a pirate who sailed the seas and had put some of his treasure there in the water for his family. There word going round that the treasure was worth more than any other in the world. So we went to the port and he dragged me on shore, saying that I had to do as he said or he'd send me back to my father and tell him that I wasn't cut out to be a pirate.

"I followed him into a home, the door didn't have a lock. And then we went to a room, Ken leading me the entire way as if he knew exactly where everyone would be and where he needed to go. We found your parents, sitting in bed and talking about something as foolish as getting you girls a horse of your own. Ken told me that if he gave me the signal I would need to kill the woman, I would have to hold a blade to her neck and slit her throat.

"I didn't want to, but I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. We stormed into the room and Ken got to talking to your father. And then I was given the signal and I slit the woman's throat. It was so horrid that I felt like I was going to puke. I might have if you hadn't screamed."I was watching Jack with an intensity that I'd never had before. This night was so familiar to me and now he was playing it back, adding his own feelings and sights to it so that now the picture had changed, though it was still the same on the outside.

"I had to grab you quickly, Ken wouldn't have liked it if you got away. Of that I was very certain. When he blew your father's brains out I almost let go of you. But I remembered his warning about my father and held fast to the blade. I would prove that I was worthy to be a pirate like my old man.

"When you took us to the treasure Ken was ecstatic, he was sure that this was the treasure everyone was talking about and that he'd gotten to it before the owner even put it in the water. We used it up quickly only to realize that it wasn't worth nearly as much as any of us would have guessed. It wasn't the right treasure.

"And then our mission was to hunt down the girls who we'd left unharmed in the house. I was sure that there was at least one of you still around that port somewhere. No one else thought you'd survive on your own, but I had faith that one of you would be smart enough to tough it out.

"What a surprise it was to find that all of you had made it through the years, all except one who would've died anyway because of sickness. I made friends with the blacksmith, talked with him and told him how I was looking for an apprentice to teach all about the ways of pirating.

"Old Silas said that if I waited a few more years he would have someone ready for me, not a boy, but someone good enough to fight alongside one. I knew it was one of you Mason kids and I agreed that I would come back in three years."

I remembered the way Silas had always prepared me for fights, told me that I'd do great things someday. This was what he meant, being out here with Jack.

"I brought you aboard my ship and at first everything seemed to be going fine. All except for the fact that you remembered me! I didn't know how you could recognize my face after all those years, but somehow you did and I had to try and tell you off it. It wasn't easy, but eventually you let it go.

"And when we started to go further into a relationship. I wanted to be in one with you so badly, but then I remembered the map, the treasure. If I was going to get the treasure then I couldn't go off falling for you. You'd hate me in the end and I wasn't supposed to care for your feelings, but I did.

"After all that, I'd fallen for you even though I tried so hard not to. And when you were kidnapped I swore that I'd never let anything come between us again. If you didn't take me back I'd follow you to the ends of the earth trying to make you forgive me."

We were silent for a moment.

"And what about your treasure Jack?" I asked.

He met my eyes. "I'd give it up for you any day."

Another long pause where neither of had anything to say.

"And now?" I asked.

"I feel the same way now as I did then," Jack told me.

I looked up at him, not daring to hope, but still doing it in vain. "You'd give up a life long search for treasure for me?" I asked.

Jack smirked. "Not all treasure's silver and gold luv."

**A grin was forming **on my lips, I couldn't be mad at him for long. Especially now that I realized my feelings for him. I loved Jack Sparrow and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Do you forgive me then?" he asked.

I laughed, suddenly on a high. "Yes," I answered. "Yes I forgive you."

Jack pulled me to him and looked into my eyes before kissing me like he'd never done before. And I fell into him, utterly lost in the waves of emotion. When I pulled away from him I was still grinning like an idiot.

"I truly love you, Jack Sparrow," I said.

He laughed along with me. "And I truly love you."

"Now let me see that map," I said.

Jack looked at me. "What?"

"Where's the map? If we're going to find that treasure we're going to need a map," I babbled.

Jack cut me off. "You want to find the treasure?" he asked incredulously.

My head nodded. "You've looked for it so long, it only seems right that you finally get to see it. And it is mine, I want to see it too," I explained.

Jack Sparrow grinned as his arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me up and out of the room. We went to the helm and Jack started yelling orders.

He took out his compass and handed it to me, whispering into my ear, "What do you want most?"

The needle spun and we both looked out at sea. Jack nodded, yelling to the crew and grabbing the wheel with one hand, the other still wrapped around me. We reached the destination shortly, almost giddy in our excitement.

Jack explained to me how I would have to dive into the water and then cut my hand with a knife, rubbing it over one of the rocks. The door would opened and I would be allowed inside. Jack would follow after me.

I looked over the edge of the ship and into the deep blue water. Breathing deeply I took a step toward it. The whole crew was watching behind me as if it were some kind of sporting event."You don't have to if you don't want to," came Jack's voice.

My eyes rolled, but he couldn't see it. "I want to," I replied.

Then I sucked in a bunch of air and dived into the ocean, sinking into the water and then swimming the rest of the way. It didn't take long for me to see the rocks that would lead to the treasure.

I paused beside one and Jack handed me a knife. We'd already talked about how I would be careful not to cut myself too hard or anything like that and now I could see Jack cautioning me with his eyes. Slowly, I slid the knife onto my palm and pressed, pulling it back. Red liquid oozed out and floated slowly up in front of me. If I'd had more time I would've looked at it more, but I was running out of breath. I rubbed the bloody palm into the rock and literally held my breath for it to move.

For a moment nothing happened and we waited for it to do something, anything. Then it jerked to the side and a passageway opened. I swam inside it, Jack behind me and we ended up in a small cave.

Or it seemed small because there wasn't much space for people. All around us were jewels and gems and shiny things. All far more expensive than I would've dreamed owning. I stared at Jack in amazement, stunned beyond words. He was smiling at me and then he nodded down to the treasure.

We started gathering some of it up, but we didn't have enough space for a lot in just our hands. When both of us had our pockets and hands full I suggested we leave. Jack nodded and turned for the exit.

"Wait!" he yelled.

I turned and watched as he went back into the pile of treasure and picked up something too small for me to see. Jack smiled up at me when he caught me watching.

"Now let's go," he said.

Water surrounded us once again as we fought our way back up to the surface. It seemed to want to hold us down under and keep us forever. Then we broke through the top and I gasped for air, Jack right beside me.

We swam to the ship, but now we had to figure out how to get back up there with all the treasure in our hands. I ended up shoving it down my shirt, not willing to toss it into the water when I'd gone to so much trouble to get it. Jack smirked, but then followed my example.

The crew was waiting for us on deck, standing around in almost the same circle as when I'd jumped overboard. Annamaria was in front, standing next to Gibbs and Will. I couldn't see Joe anywhere.

"Did ye get the treasure, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked as we climbed over the rail.

Jack looked up with a smirk and pulled his tucked in shirt out of his pants. Treasure came tumbling down onto the deck, red and gold and silver. When I looked up I found most of the men looking at it with greedy expressions, trying to figure out how much they could get or just thinking about all of it in general.

Jack bent and picked something up from the pile, but again I didn't see it. He slipped it into his pocket then turned and caught me staring. He winked at me, before turning back to his crew.

"Alright, so I'll split this up in my room. In the meantime, bring out the rum!" Jack yelled.

The men erupted in a chorus of yells and cheers and they turned to go below deck to find the rum.

Soon only Jack and I were left on the deck.

"What'd you pick up out of the treasure?" I asked.

"Hm? Oh, this," he answered.

Jack took something out of his pocket and I moved closer to his hand to look at it. It was a tiny ring, a beautiful diamond in the center of an intricately designed gold band. I gasped.

"It's beautiful," I said.

The captain nodded. "Mmm."

I looked up at him to find that he was staring down at me. I straightened out just as he got down on one knee.

My eyes widened. "Jack what are you doing?" I asked.

He only allowed for a small smirk. "Sammi Mason, I'm not sure I've told you before that I love you but these past days when you were gone were the worst days of my life. I never want that to be able to happen again. Will you marry me?"

My whole body had gone still. Jack Sparrow was asking me to marry him? I'd always cared for the man, knew I was in love with him and had been for so long, but did I love him enough to marry him?

As I gazed down into his brown eyes, concern and worry starting to grow in them, I realized that I did.

I nodded, then whispered, "Yes."

Jack's face broke out into a smile and he slipped the ring onto my finger. When he stood he took my face and kissed me.

When we broke apart I was laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"When I came on this ship I hated you. Now I'm marrying you?" I chuckled again.

Jack just pulled me close to him and we walked down into the galley where the crew was already immersed in gambling card games and drinking contests.

I left Jack's side to find Annamaria.

"You're getting married to Jack?" she asked in a stunned disbelief.

"Yeah."

She was silent.

"Do you think it'll be bad?" I asked.

Anna looked at me. "No, if Jack's willing to give you a ring then it'll all turn out okay in the end."I sighed in relief, if Annamaria thought that this was okay then I would believe so too.

Jack's POV

Jack sat next to Gibbs, bragging about his new wife to be. He couldn't stop, she was perfect and he got to marry her. And he knew that this wasn't like William and Elizabeth who stayed apart forever. Sammi would stay by his side, on his ship until they decided otherwise.

"_You've done good Jackie," _the little Jack said as it appeared on his shoulder. _"It didn't turn out so bad after all."_

Jack laughed, almost giddy in all the happiness he was feeling. "Of course it didn't, I always have a plan because I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

**Epilogue**

**Sam's POV**

I stood by the rail, looking out at the water as the sun set below the horizon.

"Mommy!"

I turned to see a small boy with brown hair and big brown eyes running up to me. He was only four, but he seemed a lot older sometimes. "Daddy says that he wants to see you in the galley," little Jack told me.

I smiled and nodded, taking his hand as we walked across the deck to the galley. My other hand was placed on my stomach, where our next child was waiting.

We reached the galley and as we walked toward the door I found Jack was already waiting for me. He was smiling happily as he took my hand that had been laying on my stomach. "Just let them have fun," he told me.

We stepped into the galley and everyone yelled surprise. I laughed. A bunch of pirates having a birthday party? It had to be one of the funnier things the crew did.

I scanned the group of my friends. Gibbs was sitting on a chair, telling my son a story. Cotton was standing off to the side, but while smiling slightly. Will was talking with Joe as they sat on either sides of the table. Joe's arm was wrapped around Annamaria possessively.

I laughed again, after Jack had proposed Joe came out and told Annamaria that he liked her. They weren't the same again.

Jack's arms wrapped around my waist, hands on my stomach. He whispered in my ear, "Happy birthday luv."


End file.
